Cameron Mathisonis taking good care of his health after being diagnosed with cancer.

While speaking to PEOPLE at the 49th annual DaytimeEmmy Awardson Friday, theGeneral Hospitalactor revealed he is getting professional help from a health coach to learn more about his wellbeing after undergoing surgery to treat kidney cancer in 2019.

“I work with a health coach now — I thought I knew a lot about what I was doing in the right and the wrong ways or whatever, but in the last year, I’d say, maybe 14 months, I’ve learned more about my own specific health challenges and growth than I have probably in decades before that,” Mathison, 52, who plays Drew Cain on the daytime soap, shared.

“It’s good,” he added of his recent health journey.

The Hallmark Channel host also tells PEOPLE how the health scare he endured helped him gain a new perspective on life.

“The way that it’s changed, it’s increased my desire and my willingness and my effort and motivation to help others and to spread the word and just to be a benefit,” he explained. “I got so much help through my journey, and it’s like, not everybody has that.”

Stewart Cook/CBS/Getty

PASADENA, CA - JUNE 24: Cameron Mathison arrives at The 49TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS, broadcasting LIVE Friday, June 24 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. This year marks the 16th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmy Awards, more than any other network. The last time they aired on the Network was 2021. (Photo by Stewart Cook/CBS via Getty Images)

“I just try to do what I can and volunteer and do things, so it’s really shifted that,” he continued. “Also, a level of more gratitude in my life here.”

The formerAll My Childrenstarrevealed on Sept. 10, 2019, that he had renal cell carcinoma orkidney cancer. A week later, he underwent partial nephrectomy surgery — a difficult procedure where doctors remove a tumor while only taking out a small portion of the kidney.

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Two days after his Sept. 18 surgery, Mathison announced to his Instagram followers thatit went “very well.”

The actor also told his fans that he would keep them updated on his health and thanked them for their encouragement.

In his interview with PEOPLE on Friday, Mathison also reflected on his career with the daytime family, calling it “very unique.”

“I’ve been in daytime in different capacities for over 25 years now, from soaps to talk shows to everything in between, so to me, it’s the regular day in, day out. That aspect of coming to work every day and getting to know everybody in that way,” he shared.

“Sometimes we spend more time with our daytime family that we work with than our real family, so it really is a very, very, very unique situation for you.”

source: people.com