GH Star John J. York Reveals MDS Diagnosis

John J. York, beloved as Mac Scorpio on General Hospital, recently surprised fans when he shared that he’d be taking a break from Port Charles. Now, the actor has given a full update on his situation and how somebody might be able to help him.

John J. York: A Friend In Need

In a case of art imitating life, York faces a similar medical crisis as the character Willow (Katelyn MacMullen). He needs a bone marrow transplant because he has Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), which is a group of rare forms of blood cancer, where the body no longer makes enough healthy blood cells in the bone marrow.

“Well, hey, you guys, how you doing?” York began a video he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It’s me. 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.

“So, last December of 2022, I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome or MDS and multiple smoldering myeloma, two blood and bone marrow disorders,” the actor shared. “Over the past many months, I’ve had three bone marrow biopsies. Many chemo treatments.”

How You Can Help

Currently, York is still undergoing procedures and hoping to find a donor. “I have another [treatment] coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’m closing in on a blood stem cell transplant,” he said. “I’ve been working with some wonderful people at Be The Match to find a potential donor on their registry if it’s possible. And [if] 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.

“Go to Be the Match/Match for Mac,” York shared with his trademark humor. “It’s not easy to say, say that five times fast. You can find out all the information you need to know to possibly join the registry.” If folks aren’t able to test to see if they’d be a match for either York or someone else in need, there are other ways to help.

“[You can] make a financial donation anything you might want to consider,” York says, “but it’s where you’ll get your information.

John J. York: He’ll Stay in Touch

“So I just want to say thanks for all the support over the years,” adds the actor, who debuted on GH over 32 years ago. “This isn’t goodbye. This is just so long.” York predicts he’ll be taking a break from GH for three to four months. Using a slight Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator) tone to his voice, York, said, “I’ll be back! Someone once said that…’I’ll be back.’ Thanks a lot. Check out, Be the Match, do whatever you can, and thanks for your patience. Thanks for your time. Thanks for your prayers. I’ll keep you updated. Talk to you soon.”

Soap Hub joins York’s family, including his GH family, friends, and fans, in wishing the actor all the best in finding a match and getting well.