James Van Der Beek, who played the titular Dawson Leery on "Dawson's Creek," revealed over the weekend that he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The news was first reported by People magazine. The 47-year-old actor released a statement to multiple outlets confirming his health battle, but said he was hopeful about the future. “I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” Van Der Beek said in his statement. MORE: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/nation-world/james-van-der-beek-colorectal-cancer-diagnosis/507-2abcff62-522e-4d36-8f3d-c351920f90ca