General Hospital’s John J. York Shares Update After Stem Cell Transplant: ‘I Have a Long Road Ahead’

General Hospital star John J. York says he is on the road to recovery, albeit a long journey.

In September, the veteran actor, best known to fans as Mac Scorpio on the ABC soap since 1991, told his social media followers that he had been diagnosed late last year with myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, and multiple smoldering myeloma — two blood and bone marrow disorders. On Friday, he shared an update on how he has been doing since receiving stem cells from a donor in November.

“Hey there, everyone. It’s me and I’m checking in. … I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, ‘Why did Mac shave his beard?’ ” a totally hairless York said with a smile. “I didn’t shave my beard. I actually shaved the little bits of hair that were still left there.”

He went on to give a little update as to how things are going since his transplant early last month, explaining that he’s still in the middle stages of treatment but, so far, everything is “actually going along very well.”

“I have a long road ahead, but the test results are looking good; I’m feeling really good,” he said. “Hopefully, hopefully, if things go the way they are, maybe [I’ll] be back on the show late spring, early summer.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, MDS are “a group of cancers in which immature blood cells in the bone marrow do not mature or become healthy blood cells,” while multiple smoldering myeloma is a “precancerous condition that alters certain proteins in blood and/or increases plasma cells in bone marrow, but it does not cause symptoms of [myeloma] disease.”

Over the course of the year, York had three bone marrow biopsies and many chemo treatments while a search for a donor match was underway. Finally, one was found thanks to the efforts of BeTheMatch.org, and the procedure began in November.

“I just wanted to thank you all so very much for all your notes and messages of support, encouragement and all the love you’ve been sending my way,” he said in Friday’s video. “I feel your hugs every day, and I thank you very much for that. … So, one day at a time. We’ve gotta take care of this. In the meantime, I want you all to have a very, very, very Merry Christmas with your family and friends, your loved ones.”

“I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, and for luck — how about some luck?” he said with a big grin while rubbing his bald head. “Get some luck in there, okay?