GENERAL HOSPITAL’s John J. York Puts Cancer Diagnosis ‘In God’s Hands’
By Movieguide® Contributor
GENERAL HOSPITAL star John J. York was recently diagnosed with two types of cancer, but he has trusted God with his future.
“Personally, I feel like it’s in God’s hands. God’s will be done,” he said. “It’s gonna work out okay, one way or another,” he said. “I’m either gonna survive or I’m not. And life goes on and things are gonna be okay for everybody…Let’s just go one day at a time.”
York revealed last week that he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, and multiple smoldering myeloma. Both diseases are cancers that target the blood and bone marrow.
Hey gang, here’s the update, Check out @bethematch if you want to support https://t.co/AxA8xTbDcq pic.twitter.com/ZBinOwIrpd
— John J York (@JohnJYork) September 13, 2023
The actor, however, was nonchalant about the diseases, given that he’s been battling ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease since he was 17.
“It’s just another thing that I gotta now take care of,” he told PEOPLE.
“I went through life with colonoscopies, medicines, the whole thing, and always had to be under doctor’s care,” he continued, adding, “and living life. Everything’s good.”
York had been undergoing treatment for his previous conditions. One day, his doctor suggested running tests on his bone marrow.
Last December, following the tests, York went to the doctor’s office, and his doctor asked, “Is your wife available for a conference call?”
“I thought, ‘Well, that can’t be good,’” York said with a laugh.
“She was a mess,” York recalled. “[The doctor] was explaining all these different things and cells and all different levels and word that had, you know, 25 letter in them. And I didn’t understand. And Vicki finally came out and said, ‘Does John have cancer?’ And he said ‘Yes.’ And I’m sitting there, I’m really just a fly on the wall, listening to him talk to Vicki because she was the one asking all the questions.”
Throughout the conversation, York’s question was, “Why do I feel so good?”
“I feel great,” he continued. “I mean, I walk three miles a day and I’m in great shape. And my diet is great and my appetite is great. [The doctor] said that was because we got it early.”
Since the diagnosis, York’s life has changed as the treatment began. Deadline reported that he has taken a break from his role on GENERAL HOSPITAL.
However, he remains optimistic about the future.
“It is what it [is], you know what I mean? And then everybody’s gotta get their treatment. And then you go home, go about your life and you play with the kids. And here we are,” he said.
“My whole philosophy is one day at a time; whatever they need me to do,” York continued. “Well, if I’m staying in a hospital, I’ll stay in a hospital. If I can go home, I’ll go home, where we have a place where I can be by myself.”
