James Van Der Beek, Father of 6, Got Vasectomy Before Cancer Diagnosis

James Van Der Beek Describes Moment He Received Stage 3 Cancer Diagnosis: "I Went Into Shock"

James Van Der Beek underwent a aesculapian process to enactment a large household determination overmuch earlier learning of his crab diagnosis.

The Dawson's Creek alum says helium had a vasectomy performed respective years agone aft helium and his wife decided their household was complete. James, who has six children—Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwen, 6, and Jeremiah, 3—with Kimberly Van Der Beek, revealed the quality days aft helium shared helium was diagnosed successful 2023 with signifier 3 colorectal cancer.

"We had 1 planned child," the 47-year-old told People successful comments published Nov. 9. "One was 100 percent connected purpose. The 1 happening we truly sucked astatine was not getting pregnant."

He besides shared what his and Kimberly's youngest daughter, Gwen, told him aft helium told the kids that "Daddy has immoderate country connected his backstage parts, truthful conscionable beryllium truly cautious erstwhile you tally up to maine not to bump into anything."

"And my youngest girl looked maine consecutive successful the eye," James recalled, "and said, 'Daddy, I anticipation your vagina feels better.'"

James credited his woman with helping him to upwind his latest arsenic helium continues his crab battle, adding, "There’s nary mode to get done this without her."

As for their kids? "They’re scared," the Varsity Blues prima said. "It’s natural. But they’ve been truthful supportive and loving and tender."

James shared his crab diagnosis connected societal media Nov. 3, noting that helium decided to spell nationalist with his wellness conflict aft learning that "a tabloid was going to tally with the news."

"I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting attraction and dialing successful my wide wellness with greater absorption than ever before," helium wrote connected Instagram. "I'm successful a bully spot and feeling strong."