James Van Der Beek, best known for playing the title role in Dawson’s Creek, has died aged 48 after battling colorectal cancer, his family have sadly announced
Dawson’s Creek legend James Van Der Beek battled with colorectal cancer before his death. On Wednesday, his heartbroken wife, Kimberly, announced the actor had died aged 48.
James was diagnosed with colorectal cancer on August 31, 2023, but went public with his diagnosis in November 2024. Speaking about his diagnosis, he said: “The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer. You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’ As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things. I have a lot to live for.”
In a previous interview, he explained that he had noticed changes in his bowel movements, which is a known symptom of bowel cancer. Before having a screening test, James made the decision to stop drinking coffee to see whether this would help.
The test revealed that he had stage three of the condition, and it had spread to his nearby lymph nodes. He said his “lowest point” during his treatment was feeling as though he was losing parts of his identity. He said: “All these beautiful things that I love, and I used to define myself as – a father, a provider, a husband – all that got taken away, or at least paused.”
James added to Business Insider: “I had to sit there and say, ‘Well, what am I?’ And it was, ‘I’m still worthy of love.'” After his diagnosis, he made it his mission to help other people by raising awareness of screenings, explaining: “I’ve learned a lot, if I can save anyone from having to go through this, that’s magic.”
The NHS states that the main symptoms of the condition include:
- Changes in poo – such as softer poo, diarrhoea, or constipation
- Needing to poo more or less often than usual
- Blood in stool, which may be black or red
- Bleeding from the bottom
- Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you have just been
- Stomach pain
- A lump in the stomach
- Bloating
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling tired or short of breath – which could be anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer.
If you suffer from these symptoms, it is advised to visit your GP to discuss this. The GP may feel the patient’s stomach, as well as perform a rectal examination. You may also be asked to provide a stool sample for testing, or an at-home test (faecal immunochemical test) to collect a small sample and send it to the lab.
If a GP refers a patient to a specialist, the main test for bowel cancer is a colonoscopy, where a thin tube with a camera attached looks inside the bowel. A small sample of the bowel will also be taken during this test.
Treatment for bowel cancer varies, depending on the size of the tumour, if the cancer is in the colon or rectum, or both, if it has spread, if the cancer has genetic changes and age, as well as general health comes into play. Treatments include surgery, as well as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted medications.
Announcing James’ death, his wife, Kimberly, said: “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
For more information or support about bowel cancer, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support or you can call 020 7940 1760 for advice.
If you have been affected by this story, Cruse Bereavement Support offers free help to make sense of how you are feeling. Click here for their website or call 0808 808 1677.
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