James Van Der Beek Shares Family Support Amid Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer Battle

Kimberly Van Der Beek posted a rare Instagram photo of her husband James Van Der Beek, 48, smiling alongside his father, James William, captioning the image “Happy day” with a flower emoji. Van Der Beek is publicly battling stage 3 colorectal cancer (diagnosed in fall 2023), and his father has moved in to help the family on their Texas ranch while James undergoes treatment. James has publicly thanked his dad for emotional and practical support—making lunches, tending fires, driving the children, and helping care for pets—calling his presence “life-saving” and “life-affirming.” The post drew warm reactions from fans and friends, including comments from Nikki Reed and Busy Philipps noting his positive appearance. James has continued to participate in events via prerecorded messages, after cancelling an in-person Dawson’s Creek reunion appearance for health reasons.