James Van Der Beek shared that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

The “Dawson’s Creek” star made a statement about her health update on Instagram on Sunday, after first revealing the news to People.

“‘It’s cancer…’ Approximately 2 billion people are diagnosed with this disease every year worldwide,” he wrote. “And I’m one of them.”

He went on to explain his decision to share the news over the weekend.

“There’s no guidance on how to publicize this, but I had planned to speak at length with People magazine about it recently…to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms,” ​​she continued. “But that plan had to be changed when I was notified early this morning that a tabloid newspaper would be publishing this story.”

Van Der Beek wrote that “so far he has been taking special care of this issue, receiving treatment and checking up on my general health with more focus than ever before.”

He shared that he was hopeful for the future despite his health report and apologized to the people in his life who learned the news from the press.

“I’m in a good place and feeling strong,” she wrote. “It’s been quite the beginning, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready. I’m sorry to all the people in my life that I planned to tell myself. Nothing about this process happened on the timeline I preferred… But by taking every surprise as a signpost, we’ll be able to discover it without divine intervention.” we roll with it, pointing toward a greater destiny.”

“Please know that my family and I are deeply grateful for all the love and support shown,” he concluded. “More to come.”

In the post, she also shared a video montage of her own photos, as well as a photo of herself with one of her children to the song “Autumn Breeze” by Richard LaForge.

ABC News has reached out to his representative for comment.

Colorectal cancer begins in the colon or rectum and is often referred to as colon or rectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, adding that most cases start as polyps (growths on the inner lining of these organs) and become more numerous. It is common with age. Therefore, regular screenings with colonoscopy can not only help detect colorectal cancer, but can also help prevent it, as it can take up to 10 to 15 years for a polyp to turn into cancer.

In addition to being an actor, Van Der Beek is a complete family man. He is the father of six children whom he shares with his wife, Kimberly.

The actor regularly shares updates about his family on the social media platform.

In a post on Instagram last week, Van Der Beek was seen wearing a pirate costume and sharing a favorite moment with his family during the Halloween celebration.

“I made all my own costumes growing up,” she wrote in her caption. “I didn’t really have a choice. But I loved it. That probably should have been the first warning sign to my family that I would eventually become an actor.”

She continued, “But in a SPIRIT HALLOWEEN world…my six-year-old was devastated that her angel costume wouldn’t arrive in time for trick-or-treating. After admitting her tears, she was given the project to make her own costume. The halo she worked on for HOURS – wrapped around a garden fence It was believed that it would not be possible to wrap yellow yarn. And the look of pride on his face when he saw the final project in the mirror was for me… my favorite moment of Halloween.”

Earlier this year, Van Der Beek shared his proudest moment as a father when his daughter Olivia sang Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” on the television show “We Are Family,” a duet between non-celebrity relatives of celebrities. their secret celebrity family members.

“I’m a very proud dad tonight. My firstborn daughter was on ‘We Are Family’ on Fox tonight,” he said in an Instagram video before sharing behind-the-scenes clips of sweet moments with him. Olivia sings with her daughter in her first trailer on set, during her rehearsal with producers, and as Van Der Beek watches the broadcast from backstage.

“I’m so proud of my daughter,” she wrote in the caption of the photo. “And I call him that because when I watched it tonight, all I could see was the newborn baby in the crib that I couldn’t help but stare at in awe.”

Van Der Beek, who was diagnosed, continues his career actively; He recently appeared in an episode of “Walker” and will soon appear in the original Tubi movie “Sidelines: The QB and Me,” premiering Nov. 29.