Busy Philipps Shares Brain Tumor Diagnosis After James Van Der Beek's Death, Had Two Surgeries

Actress Busy Philipps opened up about a major health battle she’s been fighting quietly since February. The 47-year-old revealed she was diagnosed with a grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare slow-growing brain tumor, just one day after her Dawson’s Creek costar James Van Der Beek passed away from cancer. She had gone in for a Prenuvo full-body scan, and the results changed her life. She had surgery in March to remove a 2.6-centimeter mass from her brain, followed by a second surgery in April to treat a staph infection on the incision.

Despite the scary diagnosis, Philipps is choosing gratitude over fear. She told her daughters, Birdie and Cricket, that she’s going to be fine, and she’s calling herself the luckiest girl in the world. Her neuro-oncologist said the tumor is malignant but has the best prognosis among malignant gliomas. She will need regular scans to keep an eye on things, but for now, she’s alive, she’s recovering, and she’s sharing her story to help others.

Philipps’story is a powerful reminder about the importance of proactive health screenings. She had no symptoms when she went in for that scan. One decision, made in the aftermath of losing a friend, may have saved her life. Have you ever had a routine screening or scan that changed things for you? Or is this a push to finally book that appointment you’ve been putting off?