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Is John J York OK? 'General Hospital' star opens up on health scare amid hiatus from show

John J York revealed that he's receiving treatment for two blood and bone marrow disorders

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: John J York, renowned for his role as Mac Scorpio on ABC's 'General Hospital', has disclosed that he is undergoing treatment for two blood and bone marrow disorders. 

He shared this update with his fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) approximately a week after he announced a temporary hiatus from the show to prioritize his health.

What are John J York's health challenges? 

John J York's health challenges involve myelodysplastic syndromes, a group of cancers characterized by immature blood cells in the bone marrow that do not mature into healthy blood cells, as described by the National Cancer Institute.

The soap actor said in a video shared on the platform, “I said I was going to give you an update on the reason I’m taking a little hiatus from ‘General Hospital’ and here it is."

He continued, “So last December of ’22, I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, and multiple smoldering myeloma — two blood and bone marrow disorders.”

He also mentioned smoldering myeloma, a precancerous condition that affects certain proteins in the blood and increases plasma cells in the bone marrow but does not exhibit symptoms of myeloma disease.

What is John J York’s health update? 

In his update, York revealed that he has undergone multiple bone marrow biopsies and received numerous chemotherapy treatments over the past several months. 

He mentioned an upcoming bone marrow biopsy and his proximity to a blood stem cell transplant.

Furthermore, he has been collaborating with Be The Match, an organization focused on finding potential blood stem cell donors from their registry. 

“I just want to say thanks for all the support over the years. This isn’t goodbye, this is just, ‘So long,'” he said. 

Referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous movie line, “I’ll have to take a break [from General Hospital] for at least three, maybe four months, But I’ll be back. Someone once said that, ‘I’ll be back."

How long has Mac Scorpio been on General Hospital?

Mac Scorpio aka John J York has been in 'General Hospital' as a testament to his enduring presence on the show. 

Since the character's debut in 1991, he has made appearances in nearly 650 episodes of the daytime soap.

Fans have taken to Twitter to show their support. Some said, “I pray that you find a match soon. I've been a fan of you/Mac since 1991, and I'm sending positive vibes and love to you and your family."

Some even considered donation saying, "John, I wish I could help. I tried to become a donor for a friend and wasn’t able to donate. I know there are many kind hearted people who want to help and will be tested. I pray someone with a huge heart matches “Mac”. God bless you."

Other comments included, "Sending you huge hugs & tons of prayers!! You’ve got this, hope everything goes smoothly!!"

One said, "John, as a fan, a human and a fellow IBD patient I’m praying very hard for you! Unfortunately, some of the medications I take prevent me from being a donor."