Busy Philipps is honoring the memory of her late Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek by reminding fans to stay on top of their health — a message that caught the attention of his widow, Kimberly. 

The actress recently revealed she had surgery to remove a 2.6-centimeter brain tumor that doctors caught during a full-body scan earlier this year and revealed the surprising connection her diagnosis had with her late co-star. Following the news, Kimberly Van Der Beek reached out to offer a sweet show of public support. 


An Unexpected Push to Get Scanned 

Philipps admitted to nearly canceling the February health screening altogether. The appointment was scheduled for the morning after Van Der Beek died at age 48 from stage III colorectal cancer. Unsure if she should go, Philipps asked her ex-husband, Marc Silverstein, for advice. 

“Maybe it’s the best thing you could do for your friend this morning,” Silverstein told Philipps at the time. “Go get that scan.”

Fortunately, she took his advice. Doctors found a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare type of slow-growing tumor. According to Philipps’ neuro-oncologist, the mass, while considered malignant (cancerous), had the “best prognosis of all the malignant gliomas.”

“It’s sort of defined as a cancerous tumor based on the ability of the tumor to regrow over time, rather than it looking very malignant under the microscope,” Dr. Miller told People. 

Philipps shared that losing someone so close to her changed how she views self-care and daily life. 

“See doctors, get checkups, like, make sure that you’re taking care of your body and your health, and if something feels off, go get it checked out,” Philipps told Us Weekly. 

It seems like Kimberly Van Der Beek co-signs that message, and James’ role in Philipps’ diagnosis. “We love you @busyphilipps, and you got angels in heaven,” Kimberly commented on an Instagram post shared by People. 

Facing Recovery Setbacks 

The road to recovery didn’t go as smoothly as she hoped. Just a month after her brain surgery, Philipps developed a staphylococcus infection along her incision line that required her to get a follow-up procedure to clear the wound.

Despite the setback, she kept a lighthearted attitude, jokingly asking People, “What am I? The luckiest girl in the world?”

Moving Forward With Perspective 

Managing a serious medical diagnosis while grieving a close friend reshaped how Philipps approaches her daily routine. 

“[It] really sort of instills in you that every day is all you have,” she said. “You need to live your life with that understanding and move through the world in a way that reflects that you get that. So I do try to do that.”

By turning a tragic loss into a clear reminder about early detection, Philipps continues to encourage others to schedule routine checkups and advocate for their well-being. 





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