James Van Der Beek says he has colorectal cancer

(CNN) — James Van Der Beek is opening up about a health battle.

The “Dawson’s Creek” alum told CNN in a statement Sunday that he has colorectal cancer.

“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” his statement said.

Van Der Beek, 47, added: “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

People magazine was first to report the news.

In the United States, about 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

In a statement posted to his Instagram page Sunday a few hours after his initial statement was released, Van Der Beek wrote that he’s been “getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before.”

He planned to speak at length “to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms” at a later date but that plan, he wrote, “had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.”

“Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline,” he wrote. “But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.”

He also expressed his appreciation for that “all the love and support” that he and his family have since received.

Van Der Beek has six children with his wife Kimberly.

The actor is best known for playing the title role on teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. Recently, he had guest appearances on an episode of “Walker” and will appear in the Tubi movie “Sidelined: The QB and Me” later this month.

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