James Van Der Beek says cancer journey likely to 'be a process for the rest of my life'

After being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023, James Van Der Beek has learned that living with the disease is a “full-time job.”He’s made countless lifestyle changes to support his health, from stretching more and practicing yoga, to trying out the keto diet, and finding “the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job,” he tells TODAY.com.As far as his status with his cancer battle and the road ahead, he says: “I’m just on the journey.

After being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023, James Van Der Beek has learned that living with the disease is a “full-time job.”

He’s made countless lifestyle changes to support his health, from stretching more and practicing yoga, to trying out the keto diet, and finding “the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job,” he tells TODAY.com.

As far as his status with his cancer battle and the road ahead, he says: “I’m just on the journey. ... It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”

The “Dawson’s Creek” alum has continued to work since his diagnosis, starring in the upcoming TV series, “Elle,” about the high school years of the “Legally Blonde” character.

“The greatest thing about work is a cancer doesn’t exist between action and cut,” he says. “It was fun to drop in and just have a blast because it’s such a great cast, a great production, and everybody out there is really talented.”