Giovana Gelhoren is a High-Trending Topics Writer at Collider, where she covers all the most-talked about stars, movies and TV shows. She’s a proud Latina, hailing all the way from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She’s known among her friends as an encyclopedia of celebrities and will watch just about every type of media (especially if said friends are around to watch it with her). She’s also interviewed many celebrities during her career, some favorites including Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brenda Song, Jordin Sparks, and many more.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Might Be Getting Ready to Say Goodbye to a Fan-Favorite

Image via ABC

In the final minutes of Episode 6, titled “When I Crash,” beloved original cast member Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) reveals to Bailey (Chandra Wilson) that he’s beendiagnosed with cancer. The two had been bickering and butting heads over a patient’s care all day, so the news hits Bailey in full force. She simply stares at him with her jaw dropped in disbelief. Webber, on the other hand, is saddened, but not entirely distraught.

After all, Webber has been through his fair share of health scares over the years. In Season 1, Webber was struggling with his vision and discovered a brain tumor pressing on his optical nerve that Dr. Shepard (Patrick Dempsey) later removed. In Season 9, Webber got electrocuted and fought for his life after a superstorm hit the hospital. A few seasons later, in Season 16, he began presenting symptoms of Alzheimer’s before being diagnosed with cobalt poisoning as a side effect of a hip replacement. With all that, Webber’s proven to be a true fighter, so he might recover swimmingly from having cancer too.

After the end of the fall finale, Pickens Jr. gave a rare PSA about the importance of early prevention and detection of prostate cancer, especially for Black men. In it, the actor also revealed his own cancer battle. “Today, I am living proof that early detection works,” he says. From the looks of it, Pickens Jr. will be bringing his own personal journey with cancer for the show, and raising awareness about early prevention with the Black Health Matters organization more than ever before. Whether that means a quick recovery for Webber, or a long road ahead in treatment, however, is up to the writers’ room.

Webber Wasn’t the Only Twist in the Finale

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Jo’s life-threatening surgery comes just a few episodes after Link’s own health scare following the shocking Season 21 finale. After an explosion on the OR floor, Link was fighting for his life after losing a lot of blood. He luckily recovered, but the couple was definitely shaken up. Now, Jo’s life is the one on the line, as are both of their kids.

Much like fans would expect, the fall finale of Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 was nothing short of jaw-dropping. While pregnancy complications when carrying twins are certainly common, Jo’s health scare is certainly worrying, especially everything she’s already gone through this season. For Webber, his cancer diagnosis is heartbreaking, but there’s still hope the show won’t be saying goodbye to the beloved character anytime soon. To see what happens next, viewers will have to tune in when Grey’s Anatomy returns on January 8, 2026.