“And I just couldn’t talk”: John J. York returns to General Hospital after cancer treatment

John J. York, known for his role as Mac Scorpio on the long-running ABC soap opera General Hospital, revealed in 2023 that he was diagnosed with cancer after which he had to temporarily leave the show for his treatment.

The fans of Mac would be happy to know that John has now returned from his treatment and has re-joined General Hospital.

In an interview with Good Morning America on June 17, 2024, John shared his happiness when he found a bone marrow match for his treatment.

"She said we found an exact match, and I just couldn't talk," he said

He was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (a group of cancers in which immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not mature or become healthy blood cells) and smoldering multiple myeloma (a condition that changes blood proteins and raises bone marrow plasma cells, potentially leading to cancer) back in December 2022.

"Everybody has been very welcoming, very supportive," he said about the General Hospital family, while talking about his medical journey.

"And here I go already, right off the top 'cause I can’t tell you how nice it's been, the support that I've gotten," he added.

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General Hospital: John J. York returns to the show

Medical history

John found out he had myelodysplastic syndrome in 2022, which is a type of cancer that stops blood stem cells from becoming healthy blood cells. He also had smoldering multiple myeloma, a condition that can lead to the rare blood cancer called multiple myeloma.

"I said, 'How long would I have if I did nothing?' " he recalled saying it to his doctor. "He said, 'Three to five years.' I was like, 'Three to five years, are you crazy? I feel fantastic!' "

John went through rigorous therapies and treatments which included chemotherapy and a blood stem cell transplant. Finding the same bone marrow was the toughest and the most emotionally challenging part of his treatment journey.

"It's just a little bag of blood and fluid, and they put it in my body. Forty minutes later, and now I'm this person," John said

He added that,

"And my cells are now fighting each other and battling each other and getting to know each other."

John's comeback to General Hospital is a big step in his healing process. Although he had to take a break from the show for his health, his absence was felt deeply. John has a deep bond with his character and the show.

"I just felt so attached that I didn't feel like I missed anything," he said.

"I feel like I just had a little break – a little vacation, I guess – and had to go through something, and now we’re here on kind of the other side of it," he further added.

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Mac Scorpio's Character in General Hospital

John J. York plays the role of Mac Scorpio and joined General Hospital in 1991. His character's journey started out as a complicated and untrustworthy person in Port Charles. Mac Scorpio is the brother of Police Commissioner, Robert Scorpio.

Over the span of the show since 1991 Mac has proven himself as reliable and become a loved character. In the beginning, he was considered non-reliable and used to be accused of everything that went wrong. With time he proved his honesty and dedication.

York’s character on General Hospital went through many ups and downs including his relationships with Dominique Stanton and Felicia Jones. He kept switching his profession from a club owner to a police commissioner.

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Mac Scorpio has already joined the new episodes of General Hospital airing from June 19, 2024, on ABC network and Hulu.