Christy Carlson Romano revealed on Tuesday that she recently received a positive result from a cancer screening.
The Even Stevens star began by disclosing her family’s history of cancer. She explained that both her parents had the disease and that her mom “beat it” while her dad “eventually didn’t.” Her maternal grandmother died from lung cancer as well, Romano added. The 41-year-old actress and her husband, Brendan Rooney, both decided to take cancer screening tests as a result.
“My husband’s came back completely negative. Mine did not come back negative,” Romano said in an Instagram reel. “What that means is I may have stageable cancer. The steps are to get a PET scan. I’m fighting with companies to get that covered.”
A PET scan, or positron emission tomography scan, is a radioactive imaging test that is often used to detect the spread of cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Romano went on to talk about James Van Der Beek, who died on Feb. 11 from a years-long battle with Stage III colorectal cancer at 48 years old. Van Der Beek, like Romano, resided in Austin, where the actress said he was “a pillar of our community.”
The Dawson’s Creek actor’s family and friends set up a GoFundMe page for his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, to help the family rebuild financially following his death. The Van Der Beeks, according to a statement on the GoFundMe page, experienced “significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care.”
“I live in Austin and I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family’s amazing,” Romano tearfully said. “They always were raising money for the most amazing charities, and he’s not with us anymore. Cancer is everywhere. Which is why I got this test.”
Romano said that she “kind of was in disbelief” about her positive result, as she had just begun filming a movie in Florida. “I didn’t really want to think about it much until I got home,” she said, before adding that this is a “very vulnerable time for me.”
“About 367 days since I got shot in the face,” Romano said, referring to an incident at a shooting range last June. “Time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it’s in God’s hands, most of it. I’m sure people think I’m overreacting, but I’m not, because cancer’s pretty serious and I have two little girls.”
Christy Romano and Shia LaBeouf on ‘Even Stevens’.
(Disney Channel/Everett Collection)
Romano added, “When you’re somebody like me, you kind of have to take life a day at a time. Really be grateful for all the amazing stuff around you.”
In her Instagram caption for the reel, Romano admitted that she was hesitant to share her health update because she didn’t want to seem “cringe.” Ultimately, though, she felt it was “her duty to share so that people get out there and get screenings.”
The former Disney Channel actress received an outpouring of support in the comments from her husband, fellow child actors Jaleel White (Family Matters) and Giovonnie Samuels (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody), and more.
Romano famously starred as Ren Stevens on the hit series Even Stevens from 2000 to 2003, alongside Shia LaBeouf. She went on to voice the titular teen hero on Kim Possible until 2007, before eventually launching Vulnerable, her podcast on which she interviews former child stars. She is also actively working on her memoir, which she’s previously teased.