Former Disney Channel actor Christy Carlson Romano has revealed a positive cancer screening in an emotional social media video.
The actor, 41, began in a video Tuesday on Instagram that she has a history of cancer in her family, noting that both of her parents were diagnosed with the disease and her maternal grandmother died of lung cancer. This led both her and her husband, Brendan Rooney, to undergo cancer screenings.
“My husband’s [results] came back completely negative,” Romano told viewers as she sighed and said, “Mine did not come back negative.”
Her next steps will be to receive a PET scan to trace where the cancer may be located. She continued, explaining that she is currently “fighting with companies” to get the scan “covered.”
Romano then began to cry as she reflected on the death of James Van Der Beek last week, following his colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2023.
“I live in Austin, and I was able to meet James Van Der Beek a bunch. His family’s amazing. He’s a pillar of our community in Texas,” she said about the late Dawson’s Creek actor who lived with his wife and their six children. “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.”
She explained that, for the time being, she would try not to think about her screening results and instead focus on her future opportunities, including the release of her memoir.
“Very vulnerable time for me,” the former Even Stevens actor said. “About 367 days since I got shot in the face,” she added, referencing when she was injured near her eye while shooting clay pigeons for her husband’s birthday.
“It’s time to have a strong sense of faith and know that it’s in God’s hands, most of it,” the Instagram video continued. “I’m sure people think I’m overreacting, but I’m not, because cancer is pretty serious, and I have two little girls.”
The post concluded as Romano said she would “keep fighting for answers” and thanked her family for all of the support they have shown her throughout this time.
Her husband even further showed his support as he commented underneath her post, writing, “You got this my beautiful wife. We will figure this out and destroy any problem that comes your way. I love you beyond words.”
