Busy Philipps never expected a routine health decision to change her life so dramatically. The 47-year-old actress had been curious about getting a full-body MRI after seeing information about the scans online, even though her primary doctor believed she was healthy and didn’t need one. Encouraged by her cousin’s husband, internist Dr. Justin Donlan, Philipps eventually scheduled the scan in February 2026. The timing was difficult: her longtime friend and former Dawson’s Creek costar James Van Der Beek had died from colon cancer just one day earlier. Despite nearly canceling, Philipps went through with the appointment, a decision that led to an unexpected discovery. Doctors found a lesion on her brain, which was later diagnosed as a grade 2 oligodendroglioma. She had experienced no obvious symptoms, making the discovery even more surprising.

Philipps underwent roughly five hours of surgery on March 2, with doctors removing a 2.6-centimeter mass from her frontal lobe. She recovered quickly and soon returned to work on her CBS series, Cupertino, but another frightening setback followed when doctors discovered a staph infection near her surgical incision. She needed a second procedure in April, and the emotional strain left her feeling overwhelmed. Then, while waiting for treatment, she unexpectedly saw a magazine featuring Van Der Beek on the cover. The moment brought her comfort and reminded her of two people she had lost, including her best friend Kate Cooper Serge. Philipps later said she felt “divinely protected” by both of them. Today, she continues regular scans but says she feels lighter and no longer has the troubling sensation that her “brain feels broken.”