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Reflecting on a pivotal health scare from her past, former 7th Heaven star Beverley Mitchell recently opened up about her early 30s experience with a potential cancer diagnosis.
Mitchell, now 45, took to Instagram on March 7 to share her story, aiming to break the stigma surrounding colonoscopies. “Yesterday, I underwent a colonoscopy, and I’m choosing to talk about it because many people feel anxious or embarrassed by the procedure,” she said in her video. “I have no shame in discussing it. Years back, a doctor reviewed my blood work and mentioned it showed markers similar to those found in colon cancer patients.”
Concerned about her health, Mitchell, then in her early 30s, insisted on a colonoscopy for a clearer diagnosis. “I went to the gastroenterologist and insisted on having a colonoscopy. I was dealing with hemorrhoids at the time, which caused blood in my stool,” she recounted. “The specialist agreed, and upon examination, they discovered I had the largest precancerous polyp they’d ever seen in a young woman.”
Mitchell’s journey is just one chapter in the lives of the 7th Heaven cast, who have all seen significant changes since the show concluded in 2007 after an impressive 11-season run. The WB drama, which aired from August 1996 to May 2007 (with later seasons on The CW), starred Stephen Collins and Catherine Hicks as Reverend Eric Camden and his wife, Annie. Alongside them were Barry Watson as Matt and an ensemble cast that captured audiences during its time on air.
The cast of 7th Heaven has come a long way since the series ended in 2007 after 11 seasons. The WB drama ran from August 1996 to May 2007, with the later seasons airing on The CW. Stephen Collins and Catherine Hicks starred as reverend Eric Camden and his wife, Annie, respectively. Barry Watson (Matt), […]
According to Mitchell, she “pretty much saved [her] own life” by advocating for the medical procedure.
“I followed up, three years later [and] had another colonoscopy. It was perfectly clean,” she said. “Then, I was bad. It has been eight years since my last colonoscopy. I was supposed to be on the regimen every three years. It’s been eight. I was well overdue.”
Mitchell finally decided to get a colonoscopy after seeing various “signs” to go back to the doctor, including James Van Der Beek’s recent death. (Fellow child actor Van Der Beek died in February after battling stage III colorectal cancer. He was 48.)
“Listen, if we get screened and if we go and get our colonoscopies and we pay attention, we can catch things early,” Mitchell stated. “I am happy to report that my colonoscopy came back perfectly clean, so now I’m on the five-year cycle [and] I’m no longer high-risk.”
While Mitchell was initially fearful about what doctors would find in her labwork, she’s grateful that she didn’t wait any longer to undergo a colonoscopy.
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“Putting it off isn’t going to make the situation any better, it’s going to make it worse,” the actress added. “This is my PSA that if you’ve been putting off your colonoscopy, go and get it now.”
Mitchell previously faced a cancer scare in 2020 when she was pregnant with daughter Mayzel, telling Us that she had to “deal with skin cancer.”
“[I was] making sure I could get that removed while going through the pregnancy and going through [the coronavirus pandemic],” she exclusively told Us at the time. “I have to keep reminding myself what I am in control of and then letting go of what I’m not. I think that has helped me get through everything. … It’s a super crazy time if you’re, like, completely hormonal, emotional and big.”
In addition to Mayzel, Mitchell and husband Michael Cameron share daughter Kenzie, 13, and son Hutton, 11.