James Van Der Beek rose to fame as an actor but one of his favorite roles to date is that of a proud father. The "Dawson's Creek" star and his wife, producer and fellow actor Kimberly Van Der Beek, are parents of six children and often share glimpses of their family life on social media.

MIAMI — "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek stunned fans when he revealed two weeks ago that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at just 47 years old. And, statistics show more people under 50 are getting the diagnosis, including one woman who was diagnosed at an even younger age.

James Van Der Beek is speaking out about how he "went into shock" after being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year, he shared, and has been dealing with it privately until now. He wants to raise awareness.

“It is cancer,” James Van Der Beek shared with his 1.5 million Instagram followers ... “It’s the fight of his life, so he’s happy to have the support of his family, friends and fans. Staying close to them is a huge part of what’s helping ...

James Van Der Beek is shedding some light on his colorectal cancer diagnosis, and its public reveal. After announcing his diagnosis in an exclusive interview with People Sunday, the Dawson's Creek alum took to Instagram to apologize to his loved ones that had to learn he had cancer via the media.

"I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it," James Van Der Beek said.

The Fox News Entertainment Newsletter brings you the latest Hollywood headlines, celebrity interviews and stories from Los Angeles and beyond.

James Van Der Beek shocked fans on November 4 by announcing he is battling colorectal cancer. “It’s been quite the initiation,” he said of the disease, which affects 2 million people worldwide every year.