John Zderko's Private Cancer Battle
- Actor John Zderko passed away late last week (Thursday, May 19) in Los Angeles, Calif., of complications from cancer treatment. He was just 60 years old.
- Further details about Zderko's battle with cancer are limited. The stage and type of cancer he was diagnosed with, and when he was diagnosed, remain unknown. It seems he battled his disease in private.
- Battling cancer is an extremely personal experience, and so is choosing who to tell about your diagnosis. For some people, it's a no-brainer to share their struggle, while for others, sharing the news isn't so casual.
Further details about Zderko's battle with cancer are limited. The stage and type of cancer he was diagnosed with, and when he was diagnosed, remain unknown. It seems he battled his disease behind closed doors.
Read MoreA great friend and an excellent actor gone way too soon. Thank you so much to @THR and @MikeBarnes4 for giving our friend a true Hollywood sendoff. And to @captainblackusa for the great idea. Your name in lights one more time, John. Love you pal. RIP. https://t.co/FuOkYDSAJX
Charley Koontz (@charley_koontz) May 26, 2022
"A great friend and an excellent actor gone way too soon," Koontz posted to Twitter shortly after The Hollywood Reporter broke the news.
"Your name in lights one more time, John. Love you pal. RIP."
Zderko's career started out on stage in Santa Monica, Calif., at the West of Broadway after he quit his full-time job to pursue his passion for acting. Zderko made his first appearance on the big screen in 2005, and he went on to play roles in other hit television series such as 9-1-1: Lone Star, Dirty John and The Player.
This year, the now-late actor appeared in the John Boyega Sundance film Breaking and on the new television series Bosch: Legacy, which premiered earlier this month.
The actor grew up in various states across the country, including Ohio, Colorado and New Jersey. He moved to California for college to attend University of California Irvine, and while on the West Coast, he took acting classes at University of California, Los Angeles.
John Zderko is survived by his sister Karen, brother-in-law Steve and nephews Jason and Jeff.
Coping With Losing a Loved One to Cancer
Whether it’s a spouse, a family member or a friend, grief is inevitable and essential when you're forced to say goodbye to a loved one, especially if you're losing that person to cancer.
There's no one way to cope, but, in a previous interview with SurvivorNet, widower Doug Wendt shared his thoughts on the grieving process after losing his wife to ovarian cancer.
"We're never gonna move on, I don't even think I want to move on, but I do want to move forward," Wendt said. "That's an important distinction, and I encourage anybody who goes through this journey as a caregiver, and then has to face loss, to think very carefully about how to move forward."
'Therapy Saved My Life': After Losing a Loved One, Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
Camila Legaspi, in a previous interview with SurvivorNet, shared her own advice on grief after her mother died of breast cancer. For her, therapy made all the difference.
"Therapy saved my life," Legaspi said. "I was dealing with some really intense anxiety and depression at that point. It just changed my life. Because I was so drained by all the negativity that was going on, going to a therapist helped me realize that there was still so much out there for me, that I still had my family, that I still had my siblings."
John Zderko's Private Cancer Battle
As previously mentioned, additional information about John Zderko's battle with cancer is limited. The stage and type of cancer he was diagnosed with, and when he was diagnosed, remain unknown. So, it seems he battled the disease in private.
Battling cancer is an extremely personal experience, and so is choosing who to tell about your diagnosis. For some people, it's a no-brainer to share their struggle and absorb as much support as possible, while for others, sharing the news isn't so casual.
Dr. Marianna Strongin, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Strong In Therapy Psychology, previously told SurvivorNet that whether someone shares this heavy news is their personal preference.
"I recommend sharing, I'm a therapist," Strongin said with a laugh, "but to whom and how many people is up to the person (with cancer)."
Like Zderko, there are plenty of people who have chosen not to share their cancer battle with the world. While Strongin says that she encourages sharing, she also recognizes there's a personality factor at play when it comes to whether a person shares this deeply personal news some people are more willing to share, and some are just more private. The difference is in how the information is processed.
Related: Finding Your Support System: Heidi Kugler's Survivor Story
But remember, there's no right way to accept your diagnosis. There's no handbook, there's no wrong way, either. So, regardless of what you decide, "everyone should focus on what makes them feel good," Strongin said.
"There's a difference between telling people 'I'm sick' versus 'I was sick,' and I think a lot of people want to wait for that moment," Strongin added.
But the caveat in these situations, she said, is that you want to make sure sharing, if you choose to, provides you with support; a strong support system is fundamental when it comes to battling cancer.
"If it creates anxiety and burden and worry, that's something to look at," Strongin said; added anxiety and worry during a cancer battle is the last thing you need.
So, do what makes you feel good; it's your fight and only you know the right way to navigate through it.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
