John J York reveals his body is fighting cancer of General Hospital, is not at all deterred by his cancer diagnosis.
The 64-year-old soap opera star, who has played Mac Scorpio on the ABC daytime serial for 22 years, revealed last week that he has been diagnosed with multiple smouldering myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes, two blood and bone marrow conditions. However, he feels that it is “just another thing that I now have to take care of” because he has struggled with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease since he was 17 years old.
“I went through life with colonoscopies, medicines, the whole thing, and always had to be under doctor’s care,” he says to PEOPLE, adding with much optimism, “and living life.” Everything is in order.
York underwent routine examinations for those pre-existing ailments, and each time his doctor informed him that there was a wound that simply refused to heal. He was consequently started on a moderate chemo tablet regimen. But in October 2022, a bone marrow biopsy was advised by the hematologist, a medical professional who specializes in blood disorders. Then, on December 9, 2022, the doctor entered York’s office, dropped a large stack of documents on his desk, and said, “Is your wife available for a conference call?” York remembers this event well.
“I thought, ‘Well, that can’t be good,” York chuckles.
Vicki, York’s 37-year wife, picked up the phone. York recalls that “she was a mess.” “[The doctor] was elaborating on all these various cells, levels, and words that contained, you know, 25 letters. And I was perplexed. Vicki then finally asked, “Does John have cancer?” And he responded “Yes.” Vicki was the one asking all the questions, so I’m just sitting there like a fly on the wall, listening to him talk to her. York’s one query was straightforward when his doctor finished speaking with Vicki: “Why do I feel so good?”
York declares, “I feel great.” I mean, I walk three miles every day, and I’m in fantastic shape. And my appetite and diet are both excellent. According to [the doctor], we caught it early.
York and Vicki were in the process of moving to Tennessee, where their daughter Skyler lives with her family, even though chemo treatment was scheduled to start through UCLA and the doctor who made the diagnosis. He preferred to wait until the relocation was complete before informing Skyler of the diagnosis over the phone. However, after a few restless nights, York persuaded Vicki to tell their daughter the news via phone. Skyler’s husband proposed that York receive all of his treatments at the nearby Vanderbilt University and its “amazing university and cancer centre” rather than travelling back and forth between Tennessee and Los Angeles.
For York, the IV chemo therapy went smoothly. “You check in, sit down and wait. It nearly reminds me of waiting for a table at a restaurant. You understand what I mean?” he chuckles. “For seven days straight, and then for 28 days after the first day of that infusion cycle, it’s like a 15-20 minute infusion. I had one in each of the months of March, April, May, June, July, and August, and I’ll have another one in September.
“It is what it is, you understand what I mean?” adds York. After that, everyone must receive medical attention. You then return home, carry on with your daily activities, and play with the kids. Finally, here we are.
York has been moved up on the donor priority list and thinks they’re close to finding him a bone marrow donor. “I’m excited about that,” he says. “Many of my family members tested. I believe that the age range is like 18 to 40 to join the registry at bethematch.org/matchformac.”
Since his doctor hasn’t imposed any travel restrictions on him, he’s been flying back and forth from Tennessee to LA for filming General Hospital. The medical professional instructed him to “stay in semi-isolation” at home after the transplant process began. He is fortunate that the hospital is only 30 minutes away from his home in case something goes wrong, such if his temperature soars, which is “a very serious situation.”
According to York, “my entire philosophy is one day at a time; whatever they need me to do.” “Well, I’ll stay in a hospital if that’s what it takes. If I can go home, I will since there is a location there where I can be alone myself and not around the kids.
It goes without saying that Vicki will assume the position of carer. She is that now and has always been that way,” York chuckles. She has served as his rock and “the guiding force.”
Vicki’s initial reaction upon learning her husband had “the c-word,” according to York, “was probably fear.”
Yes, she is afraid, but—believe it or not—I wasn’t really afraid because I felt amazing. I believe that it is in God’s hands. The will of God be done. One way or another, everything will be OK. Either I’ll make it through this or I won’t. And life goes on, and everything will be alright for everyone… Just take each day as it comes.
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