⁠What is colorectal cancer? James Van Der Beek opens up about the impact of his diagnosis on his marriage

Actor James Van Der Beek recently opened up about the impact of colorectal cancer on his family life and marriage life. The Dawson's Creek actor has opened up about his challenges, treatment, and the impacts of colorectal cancer. He also mentioned his wife, Kimberly, helping him get through all the tough battles.

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Understanding colorectal cancer

The third most prevalent kind of cancer and the primary cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide is colorectal cancer. In the colon, this cancer may start as benign polyps and progress to malignant growths.

The cases are not usually discovered until the later stages, as the symptoms are not seen in their early stages. The most common symptoms of this cancer are:

• inexplicable weight loss
• Changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea and constipation
• exhaustion
• Discomfort in the stomach and
• blood in the stool

Lifestyle, age, diet, and genetics are the four main risk factors for this type of cancer. People are more at risk of developing this if they have a family history of inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Eating a diet high in processed and red meats, low in fruits and vegetables, and poor in fiber increases the risk of developing it.

It is easily treatable if it is discovered early, even though it is considered to be the most dangerous cancer type. Colonoscopies can be used to detect and stop the precancerous polyps from turning into cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, people above the age of 45 should be regularly screened.

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The impact of James Van Der Beek's diagnosis of colorectal cancer on his marriage

One of the hardest things for James Van Der Beek was navigating how his disease affected his family. The actor famous for his role on Dawson's Creek has had a tough time explaining his sickness to his six children while reassuring them that everything will work out. The toughest thing for him to do was to find a balance between being truthful and wanting to protect his kids.

He remarked

“My kids knew something was different. We had to find a way to talk about it without scaring them, but also without hiding the truth."

James Van Der Beek continued,

"It wasn’t easy, but we wanted them to understand that even in difficult times, we’re still a family, and we face things together.”

He has claimed that his wife Kimberly has been there to support him. She assumed the job of caregiver in addition to looking after their kids, supporting him during the most trying times of his treatment. Although the event caused a great deal of stress in their marriage, James Van Der Beek thinks it eventually made them closer.

He said,

“There were times we felt completely drained, emotionally and physically. But through all of it, we found moments of deep connection—where love, patience, and understanding carried us through. It wasn’t just about fighting the disease; it was about finding the strength to keep going, together.”

James Van Der Beek gives credit to his family for helping him go through all the treatments no matter how tough it was for them as well.

He said,

“You realize that life isn’t just about you—it’s about the people who love you and stand by you, no matter what."

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James Van De Beek raises awareness about cancer

As he recovers from this, James Van Der Beek is trying his level best to spread as much awareness about colorectal cancer as possible using his reach as an actor. The actor believes that by sharing his challenges and journey, he could help and inspire more people to take care of their health by going for regular check-ups.

He remarked,

“I never thought I’d be facing something like this, but life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges at you. If my story can inspire just one person to get checked, then speaking out is worth it.”