Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, is opening up about his battle with colon cancer—and how his children have become his unexpected caretakers along the way.

The Dawson’s Creek star first shared his cancer diagnosis publicly last November.

“I have colorectal cancer,” Van Der Beek, 48, told People. “I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

Van Der Beek has been married to his wife Kimberly since 2010. Together, they have six children: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.

During a July 30 appearance on the Today show, Van Der Beek opened up about what it was like to talk to his kids about the diagnosis.

“I’m far from an expert,” he said, “but our approach was just to be as honest as possible, as honest to the degree of their understanding.”

He explained that kids can often sense when something is wrong, even if no one tells them.

“They know,” he said. “They can sense that Dad’s having a tough day. They know if Dad’s in pain. By not telling them, I think you’re confusing them even more.”

Van Der Beek said he’s learned just how strong children can be.

“Allow yourself to be surprised by their resiliency,” he shared. “When you tell them what you’re doing, and you tell them the approach, they can see it, and they can feel it. And I think it’s also that your journey is their journey.”

As he continues to heal, his children have stepped in to help however they can.

“I have kids making me tea. ‘Dad, what do you need?’” he said. “There’s been a lot of beauty that’s come out of it.”

In a video posted to Instagram in March, Van Der Beek also discussed the emotional impact of being away from home for treatment.

“I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife,” he said. “I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.”

Even with the ups and downs, Van Der Beek said he is doing well right now.

“I’m feeling great,” he said. “It’s been a journey. There are just so many ups and downs and so many unknowns. Cancer is—I call it a full-time job.”

Despite the struggle, he’s still working. Van Der Beek recently finished filming Elle, a Legally Blonde prequel series set to release in summer 2026 on Prime Video.

Through it all, Van Der Beek continues to lean on his family—and his faith in the beauty that can grow through pain.