James Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, shared a heartfelt message of support on Sunday, just hours after he revealed his battle with colorectal cancer.
Kimberly, 42, reshared a post to her Instagram that said Northern cardinals, “romantic” birds known for their loyalty as they "mate for life, travel together, sing before nesting, and feed each other seeds beak-to-beak during courtship."
She captioned it with a rose emoji, adding, "Hi baby @vanderjames!"
The couple, who first met in Israel in 2009, recently celebrated their 14th anniversary on August 1.
Celebrating their anniversary at the time, the TV star penned on social media: “14 years… I always say it doesn't feel like that long. You always say it does.
“Nothing could have prepared us for this past year - except perhaps the previous 12. Thank you for being the most incredible partner. You’ve broken me open in spots I didn't even know were locked, and taught me how to receive more love than I thought possible.
“In the past, I feel like you've always set the pace for our co-evolution, but this year, as I've gone through my own radical transformation, you've tirelessly put in the work and somehow managed to match it. Thank you for your courage, your strength, your vulnerability and your tenderness.
“I'm thrilled and grateful to get to do this life with you. And now… let's have a laugh. I love you beyond. Happy anniversary. Thank you for being in the world.”
The Dawson’s Creek star has said he and his family “deeply appreciate all the love and support” after revealing his cancer diagnosis.
The American actor said in an interview with People that he has been “privately dealing” with colorectal cancer, adding that “there’s reason for optimism”.
He also said he has also been prioritising time with his wife and their six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
Now in a post on Instagram, acknowledging his diagnosis, the 47-year-old apologised to his loved ones who had learned of his cancer through the press.
He said: “‘It is cancer…’ Each year, approximately 2 billion people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them.
“There’s no playbook for how (to) announce these things, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon… to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms.
“But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialling in my overall health with greater focus than ever before.
“I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready. Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself.
“Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline… 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.
“Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support. More to come…”
Colorectal cancer can also be referred to as bowel cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
It is known as colorectal cancer because it can affect the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum.
The NHS says the main symptoms of bowel cancer can include bleeding from the rectum, losing weight, pain in the abdomen, a lump in your stomach or back passage, and tiredness.
