‘General Hospital’ actor John J. York pauses filming to undergo treatment for blood disorders

LOS ANGELES — John J. York, the longtime star of the daytime soap opera “General Hospital,” shared that he is undergoing treatment for two types of blood and bone marrow disorders and will be taking a break from filming.

The 64-year-old actor shared a video on X on Wednesday with more details about his health after sharing earlier in the week that he would be taking a “brief hiatus” from filming “General Hospital.”

“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,” York said in the video. “Last December of [2022], I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, and multiple smoldering myeloma — two blood and bone marrow disorders.”

York revealed he has undergone three bone marrow biopsies and  many chemotherapy treatments over the past months. The actor will also undergo a blood stem cell transplant, he said. 

York has played Mac Scorpio on “General Hospital” since the character’s debut in 1991 and has appeared in nearly 650 episodes of the daytime soap.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are considered a type of cancer that can occur when the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow become abnormal, according to the Mayo Clinic. Smoldering multiple myeloma is a precancerous condition that can develop into multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer.

York encouraged people to consider registering with Be the Match and becoming a donor. People who are 18-40 years old that are interested in joining can visit bethematch.org/matchformac.

“If it’s possible and you would consider being a donor, joining their registry, for not just me but thousands and thousands of other people who are in need of a donor,” York said.

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

“Thanks for your patience, thanks for your time, thanks for your prayers,” he added.