Dawson’s Creek actor James Van Der Beek’s battle with cancer is taking yet another sad turn as he recently announced he will sell off memorabilia from some of his most well-known projects to cover the cost of his expensive medical bills. Van Der Beek, 48, received a Stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2024.
In an official statement, Van Der Beek revealed that he’s partnering with Propstore to sell pieces from his collection during the company’s Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction. The event will run December 5–7.
Some of the items he’s putting up for sale include props from Dawson’s Creek, such as the necklace his character, Dawson, gave to his love interest, Joey — played by actress Katie Holmes — during their prom. Experts estimate the necklace will go for $52,800, a hefty sum of cash. Another big item from the series, the outfit Van Der Beek sported during the pilot episode, is expected to draw in close to $4,000.
Van Der Beek will also auction off items from the hit teen sports film Varsity Blues. A pair of cleats and a West Canaan Coyotes hat that the actor wore during the movie are on the block. It’s sad to watch someone who played such a pivotal role in so many millennials’ teenage years endure suffering and hardship, but he’s facing a battle many others experience every day. How do billions of dollars go into cancer research every year, and we still don’t have a cure? It’s maddening.
“I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented, it’s clear that the time is now,” Van Der Beek said in an interview with People.
The actor continued, “While I feel some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to offer them through Propstore’s auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years.”
Van Der Beek will direct all of the proceeds raised from the auction toward covering his cancer treatments. He had to drop out of a Dawson’s Creek reunion event at the last minute after he contracted a stomach illness.
“I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together,” Van Der Beek said in a recorded message at the time. “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my castmates, my beautiful cast, in person.”
“And I just want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight,” Van Der Beek added. “From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you — you are the best fans in the world.”
The National Foundation for Cancer Research reports that colorectal cancer — which develops in the colon and rectum — ranks as the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. While the death rate for the disease has dropped over the last three decades, it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the country.
Frighteningly, the odds of developing colorectal cancer over a lifetime are 1 in 21 for men and 1 in 23 for women. Currently, more than one million colorectal cancer survivors live in the nation.
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