Weeks before death, James Van Der Beek urged residents to get checked for colon cancer

He recently shared a message for men and women, emphasizing the importance of health screenings.

He recently shared a message for men and women, emphasizing the importance of health screenings.

And it's scary even thinking about it, you know, oh my God, what if I do, and I have to wait for the results, and, and those are all emotional processes that people go through when it comes to cancer screening. And I think that's OK. I think that fear can often be illuminating about where you are in life. The recommended screening age dropped from 50 to 45, and the reason I'm spreading the word, and the reason I find it so important, *** couple of things. Number one, colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer out there. But it's also the most curable if you catch it early. And the fact is that 1 in 3 Americans are of screening age but not screened.

Updated: 4:59 PM EST Feb 11, 2026

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Weeks before death, James Van Der Beek urged residents to get checked for colon cancer

He recently shared a message for men and women, emphasizing the importance of health screenings.

Updated: 4:59 PM EST Feb 11, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his role on "Dawson's Creek," has died. He was 48.Van Der Beek's wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the actor's death on Instagram. He had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since he was diagnosed in 2024.Just weeks before his death, he spoke with Hearst sister station WDSU, urging Louisiana residents to undergo cancer screenings. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Louisiana, and actor James Van Der Beek is urging residents over 45 to get screened and tested. Van Der Beek said a colonoscopy was the way to get tested, but there are also other options, like FDA-approved Shield blood screenings. Watch his interview with WDSU in the video above.

Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his role on "Dawson's Creek," has died. He was 48.

Van Der Beek's wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the actor's death on Instagram. He had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since he was diagnosed in 2024.

Just weeks before his death, he spoke with Hearst sister station WDSU, urging Louisiana residents to undergo cancer screenings.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Louisiana, and actor James Van Der Beek is urging residents over 45 to get screened and tested.

Van Der Beek said a colonoscopy was the way to get tested, but there are also other options, like FDA-approved Shield blood screenings.

Watch his interview with WDSU in the video above.

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Weeks before death, James Van Der Beek urged residents to get checked for colon cancer

He recently shared a message for men and women, emphasizing the importance of health screenings.

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