The Memories Project

In the past month, we’ve lost two beloved actors: Catherine O’Hara and James Van Der Beek. They were from two different generations but one thing they did have in common was a diagnosis of colorectal cancer. The former “Dawson’s Creek” star Van Der Beek had gone public with his stage III diagnosis and shared health updates with his fans via social media. He was only 48, highlighting that while still rare, younger people can be diagnosed and die from colon cancer. “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 at age 43 from colon cancer, brought awareness for younger generations of Black Americans who are at greater risk.

I was a major fan of Catherine O’Hara, as I enjoyed her roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentaries and her star role in the hit TV series “Schitt’s Creek.” One of my all-time favorite comedy films is “Best in Show.” I was surprised to see rectal cancer listed as an underlying cause of death, with the primary cause being a pulmonary embolism. She was 71, and had not shared her cancer diagnosis with the public. According to the death certificate, she had been treated by an oncologist since March 2025. My mother dealt with blood clots as a result of her colon cancer, and they became a more immediate health concern than the cancer after her surgery. There are multiple reasons why cancer patients are at greater risk for blood clots: cancer thickens the blood, some chemotherapy drugs can increase blood clot risk, and those that require surgery may find themselves immobile for long periods. The latter I believe is what happened in my mother’s case. The difference between her first surgery (colostomy) and the second surgery (reversal) was night and day. While she developed blood clots after the first surgery, she didn’t after the second procedure, because staff got her up and moving much quicker. I write about my mother’s cancer experience in The Reluctant Caregiver.

Celebrity culture can be obnoxious at times but fame offers a platform and influence that can help raise public awareness. Certainly stars may have advantages when it comes to battling a disease like cancer, from more funds and better insurance than the average person to connections in accessing experimental treatments.

But cancer also serves as an equalizer, in that it doesn’t discriminate in who it touches. For example, former “Beverly Hills 90210” star Shannen Doherty was open about how physically and mentally tough it can be to go through cancer treatment, with raw and real videos and popular podcast before her 2024 death at age 53 from breast cancer. If more people are encouraged to assess their health, get a screening, or change their poor lifestyle habits in response to notable death, that can make a real difference in survival rates.