Beloved Disney/ABC Star Receives Heartbreaking Cancer Diagnosis

For nearly six decades, Tristan Rogers has been a steady presence in Hollywood, acting in nearly 60 films and television shows. While his name might not be recognized everywhere, he is certainly well-known in the world of soap operas. For years (and more than 1,400 episodes), he played the iconic Robert Scorpio on the long-running ABC soap opera General Hospital.

Rogers then appeared in the spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift, and in almost 200 episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful. He also lent his voice talents to shows like Sky Commanders, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, and The Wild Thornberrys.

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Sadly, Mr. Rogers is now facing a battle that he never expected — a devastating cancer diagnosis.

A representative of Mr. Rogers released a statement to Entertainment Weekly, revealing his diagnosis.

Beloved Emmy winning actor Tristan Rogers, best known for his role as Robert Scorpio on the daytime drama, General Hospital is sharing with fans that he has been diagnosed with cancer,” the representative said in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly. “While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family.”

The statement on behalf of the Australian actor’s family asked “for privacy and understanding” as they “face both the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis.

The statement said that Rogers’ family is “deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and love from their friends and family.” Additional updates will be shared by the actors’ loved ones.

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The statement did not disclose what kind of cancer Mr. Rogers is battling. His family also said that the actor is grateful for the love and support from his fans, saying that he  “sends his love to his fans and wants them to know how much he appreciates their loyalty and encouragement over the years. This support means more to him now than ever.”

Mr. Rogers made his General Hospital debut in 1980, and his character was “killed off” in 1992. However, he did reappear sporadically until 2006.

Disney fans might not recognize Mr. Rogers’ face, but his voice might sound very familiar. In 1990, Rogers voiced Jake, a kangaroo mouse who helped Bernard and Bianca in Disney’s The Rescuers Down Under.

Related: ‘The Little Mermaid’ Disney Legend Sadly Dies After Battling Cancer

Mr. Rogers also appeared in The Young and the Restless, as well as Amazon’s Studio City, for which he received a Daytime Emmy nomination, and more than 100 episodes of the web soap opera Bay City.

We do not know if the actor plans on slowing down as he goes through cancer treatments, but he does have one project coming up. According to Mr. Rogers’ IMDb page, he has been cast as Anton in Kid with the Cape, which is currently in pre-production.

We send our thoughts and well-wishes to Mr. Rogers and his family.