James Van Der Beek Determined to Overcome Cancer After Diagnosis: A True Fighter

He didn’t beat around the bush. “It is cancer,” James Van Der Beek shared with his 1.5 million Instagram followers on November 4. “Each year, approximately 2 [million] people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them …. It’s been quite the initiation.”

The Dawson’s Creek star, 47, confirmed earlier in the week that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. “I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he shared. “I’m in a good place and feeling strong.”

His positive mindset comes as no surprise to those closest to the actor. “James is a fighter and he plans to beat this,” an insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “It’s the fight of his life, so he’s happy to have the support of his family, friends and fans. Staying close to them is a huge part of what’s helping him cope with the diagnosis.”

While fellow former teen idols like Scott Wolf, Joey McIntyre, Danielle Fishel and Lance Bass have all sent compassionate thoughts his way, James’ biggest support system through the ordeal has been his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3. Following the Dancing With the Stars alum’s online post, Kim — whom James married in 2010 after a chance meeting in Israel — responded, “I love you baby.”

In June, the whole family took a bucket list-esque trip to Egypt, where they visited pyramids and rode camels through the desert. “With all my vocabulary, ‘Wow’ is what fell out of my mouth most of the time,” James gushed of the “magical” experience. “Despite all the travel and time zone crossing and early-morning alarms, I feel recharged.”

And this Halloween, James and Kim enjoyed more light moments when they threw on costumes and went trick-or-treating with the kids in their adopted home state of Texas. “I believe it’s healthy to dress up and play make-believe every once in a while,” he’s previously said. “To step into someone else’s shoes.”

James is keeping busy with work as well. He appears in the Tubi original film Sidelined : The QB and Me later this month, and recently guest-starred on an episode of the CW’s Walker (a larger role was planned for him before the series was canceled). One upcoming project that hits very close to home? On December 9, James will join celebrities such as Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson and Bruno Tonioli in the two-hour TV special The Real Full Monty, during which they’ll strip down to promote awareness of prostate, testicular and colorectal cancers.

In the coming days, “James also intends to open up more about his personal cancer journey,” says the source, pointing out that the type of the disease he has is believed to be highly treatable. “The hope is to help others with his story.”

As James himself notes: “Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline … But we roll with it.”