James Van Der Beek is staying positive while battling stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The “Dawson’s Creek” alum is “cautiously optimistic,” he told People in a cover story published Friday — but neglected to specify whether he is in remission.
“I’m in a place of healing, my energy levels are great,” the actor, 47, said. “When I’ve been out of the woods completely for what feels like a responsible amount of time, I’ll circle back and let you know.”
The six-time father, who shares Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel,10, Emilia, 8, Gwen, 6, and Jeremiah, 3, with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek, noted that he “has a lot to live for.”
James revealed his diagnosis via Instagram over the weekend.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he told his followers on Sunday. “I’m in a good place and feeling strong.”
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He concluded, “We roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.”
The “Varsity Blues” star detailed the moment he found out he was battling cancer after noticing bowel movement changes and getting a colonoscopy.
“I felt really good coming out of anesthesia, that I’d finally done it,” he recalled. “Then the gastroenterologist said — in his most pleasant bedside manner — that it was cancer. I think I went into shock.”
James called his health scare a “crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit.”
The “Dancing With the Stars” alum explained, “I thought, ‘This is either going to take me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it.’”
James called cancer’s “unknowns” the “trickiest” part of his journey.
“You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’” he told the outlet. “As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things.”
While Kimberly, 42, has yet to issue a statement on her husband’s cancer, she left a supportive comment on his Instagram reveal.
“I love you baby,” she wrote.
English (US) ·