James Van Der Beek tragically died on February 11 at the age of 48, his family revealedover a heartfelt message on Instagram. The father-of-six grew to fame on-screen for his roles in Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues before revealing he had been diagnosed with bowel cancerat the young age of 46.
The actor kept his diagnosis private for months before sharing the news in November 2024 to raise awareness about the disease as it becomes more common in otherwise healthy adults under 55. He shared the news with Peopleand revealed he had initially dismissed his first sign of cancer as a result of his diet.
He said at the time: “I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles. But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy, or as far as I knew it at the time."
In the summer of 2023, the Hollywood star noticed some changes in his bowel movements. He believed it had more to do with his coffee habits than anything else and experimented with cutting out the beverage from his diet. But when his symptom did not improve, he decided to get it checked out.
He underwent a colonoscopy and “felt really good coming out” before being diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer, sometimes referred to as bowel cancer. James quickly started treatments and, while he declined to share the specifics, he did reveal the toll it was taking.
He said at the time: “This has been a crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit. I’m very cautiously optimistic…I have a lot to live for."
Common risk factors for bowel cancer are:
• 'My husband had cardiac arrest while we were driving at 70mph on dual carriageway'
• NHS GP Dr Amir Khan issues warning over foot symptom - 'always get that checked'
The bowel movement changes James had noticed are one of the key indicators of bowel cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. This can include noticing a difference in your stool, needing to use the toilet more often, or experiencing constipation.
Other common bowel cancer symptoms:
The cancer may also cause a block in the bowel known as an obstruction. This can cause symptoms like cramping, bloating, constipation and being unable to pass wind or being sick.
James later told Business Insider that he hoped to raise awareness of all the things he had learnt during his cancer journey. He added: “If I can save anyone from having to go through this, that’s magic.”
James is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children. Since news of his death arose, condolences have been flooding in from his fellow A-listers and fans alike.
