James Van Der Beek recently got candid and opened up about his colorectal cancer diagnosis.
On Friday, December 19, the 48-year-old American actor appeared on Today show, where he touched on different topics with Craig Melvin.
During the conversation, Beek revealed that he was first diagnosed with third stage colorectal cancer in 2023 and how he felt after finding a life-changing disease.
Voicing his thoughts, the Dawson’s Creek star said, “I went into shock. But you know, one of the things I was really lucky about was when I heard the news, I was like, ‘This is gonna be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’”
He added, “I had this little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re gonna make changes in your life that you would never, ever make if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis, and it’s gonna add healthy, happy years to your life.'”
Being honest, Beek went on to confess that his battle with cancer gave him a new perspective as he started to appreciate things in a new light.
“I don’t think I knew what it was to slow down before. I don’t think I knew what it was to really look at everything I eat, everything I put in my body,” he quipped.
Notably, the “biggest change” that came in the Dancing with the Star dancer’s life after cancer diagnosis was “self-love.”
“What I realized was is, I’m still worthy of love — my own love, God’s love,” James Van Der Beek stated.