Last November, James Van Der Beek announced that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023. Since then, he’s been receiving undisclosed treatments while still working when he can. He was supposed to attend the live Dawson’s Creek reunion in September, but had to pull out at the last minute because he fell ill with a stomach virus. James’ treatments are still ongoing, but cancer treatments are expensive. On Tuesday, he announced that he would be auctioning off several pieces of Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues memorabilia in order to help cover the “financial cost of fighting cancer.” Items include the necklace Dawson gave Joey at prom, Dawson’s flannel shirt, and the outfit he wore in the pilot.
James Van Der Beek is sharing some treasured pieces of his career memorabilia with fans. The actor, 48, has teamed up with Propstore to offer fans a rare opportunity to take home cherished items from his personal collection in their Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, which will be held Dec. 5–7, 2025.
The auction features items released to the public for the first time as Van Der Beek parts with wardrobe, props and set pieces that trace his career-defining moments. 100% of the proceeds from these items will go to Van Der Beek to help with the financial cost of fighting cancer. The actor and father of six was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year.
Dawson’s Creek fans will have a chance to own the necklace Dawson gifted Joey for prom, which is estimated to bring in anywhere from $26,400 to $52,800. Dawson’s pilot episode outfit is expected to bring in up to nearly $4,000, as well as other items from the series, which ran from 1998 to 2003.
For fans of Van Der Beek’s work in 1999’s Varsity Blues, there are the actor’s film-worn cleats and West Canaan Coyotes Hat.
“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 recently, it’s clear that the time is now,” shares Van Der Beek.
“While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore’s auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years.”
Interested bidders can register now, with live in-room bidding taking place in London on Dec. 6, and global bidding available through Dec. 7, 2025.
I feel badly that James has to part with his memorabilia in order to help ease the financial burden of fighting cancer. Sadly, crowdsourcing medical treatments is so common, especially in America. It’s such an indictment on our healthcare system. No one should have to hustle or sell their belongings to pay for life-saving medical treatments. It should not be like this, yet, every day, regular people have to make different decisions about their health simply because we have a for-profit system. (Which is about to get worse thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill.) I was trying to figure out if James would have health insurance through SAG AFTRA. It looks like you have to work a certain amount of hours or meet an earnings threshold each year, which would explain why he’s still trying to work through his illness. Celebrities, they’re just like us.
If you’re interested in checking it out, here is the link to James’ items in the auction. There are seven different lots you can bid on. Looking at that page is taking me back down memory lane. I hope James is able to raise the funds he needs and can beat his cancer.
Photos credit: BlayzenPhotos/Backgrid (Candids, denim and floral outfits, July 2025), Roger/Backgrid (Candids, black outfits, March 2013), IMAGO/Faye Sadou/Avalon (Sidelined premiere, tweed jacket, November 2024), Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon (Overcompensating premiere, May 2025), Joy Scheller/Avalon (Dawson’s Creek 100th episode event, February 2002)
When I first saw this, I thought of the Kardashian’s & their enormous wealth. They could easily purchase all the items to support him.
Kris Jenner’s birthday party reportedly cost $6.5 million. That amount could have easily covered full cancer treatment for at least two dozen patients – and potentially saved lives!
Or maybe like humane countries there should be universal health care so that cancer patients don’t have to auction things off for treatment.
You’re focus is misplaced it should be on the US Government who should be providing free healthcare to all its citizens. Free healthcare is a human right and nobody should have to put their hand in their pocket to pay for it.
It’s all parts of the same problem though, isn’t it. That the govt enables and promotes accumulation of so much wealth in the pockets of so few instead of taxing the heck out of them to redistribute it in form of public services for all is a symptom of the same systemic greed that prevents the US to have universal healthcare.
I’m no fan of the Karadashians but why should they purchase all the items to support him? Because they’re rich AF? How about the other celebrities? How about his Dawson colleagues? How about……?
The same people who would sell free clothing and swag given to them by designers. For a tacky quick buck. They could have easily donated to a woman’s charity for DV charity. Or Dress for Success suits for homeless for women to wear to interviews. To better their lives.
I wouldn’t hold my breath for that kind of generosity.
Yeah I’ll never be able to wrap my head around the U.S. healthcare system. As a Canadian it’s beyond horrific to me. My friend had breast cancer last year and because of our universal healthcare system she didn’t have to pay a dime — MIR, surgery, hospital stay, chemo, radiation, follow-up checkups, counselling — all covered, and top-notch care too. Your situation is very sad.
Fellow Canadian here and his situation makes me so sad, and angry too.
My mom passed away in April this year and she had chemo, 4 weeks in the hospital, and 3 weeks in a palliative care residence yet my brother and I paid nothing. I just can’t imagine having to sell off your things in order to try and fight for your health.
I am so sorry to him and everyone else in this situation. It is completely unjust to have to pay out of pocket in order to stay alive. I know we are all in some dark times, the US moreso, and I really hope after this darkness, radical change comes. We cannot go on this way.
Same. I have a relative who experienced this type of cancer and while ultimately she did not make it, I can’t even imagine the stress of paying for treatment as she was experiencing the effects of the treatment.
This is cruel and Americans are cruel to think this is okay.
And as a fellow Canadian I think it’s worthwhile to point out that even with health care covered, being ill is STILL EXPENSIVE. People travel to far away hospitals for treatment, they pay to stay in hotels, they miss work, they require “non-essential” things for their comfort at home. It’s still a terrible hardship to be ill. The very LEAST a government can do is pay for the medical treatment.
Eat the rich and tax the billionaires out of existence. Access to food and healthcare are basic human rights.
CO-SIGN
It’s sad that in one of the most industrialized countries in the world, that people have to sell off everything they own when they get cancer.
For those who might consider bidding, I’ve bought things from the Prop Store and they’re legit. Some of the Twilight stuff went too high for my blood and I had to pass on it but I’ve gotten other memorabilia from them in the past. They even have payment plans.
BTw, f cancer. In the end. I hope James is able to heal and take care of his family.
This is incredibly sad. Our politicians have been bought by health insurance companies. It’s the money in politics that prevents any real reforms that help people. Even the Affordable Care Act isn’t great, because of the concessions that had to be made to private companies just to get passed. The interest of public welfare should determine our health care system, not the profits of private companies.
And private equity firms are buying hospitals which includes the land they occupy. The PE becomes the landlord who begins increasing rent until it becomes financially impossible — the primary reason some are closing & others struggle to survive w/ reduced services.
A More Perfect Union YT channel has a video about this [veterinary clinics & more]
I didn’t realize JVB has 5 children. That’s so much to bear while fighting cancer. I hope he beats this.
I think we forget that even those with great insurance have expenses — driving to/from treatments, parking, special dietary needs, hotels for loved ones to be close to hospitals, etc. But it seems gross and sad that none of his Hollywood friends have stepped up and just sent him a check. And/or that he doesn’t have the money himself.
Sweet Italian Baby Jesus, I would have assumed that JVDB would never have to resort to this–he was the lead star of a hit series that ran for years. He has a big family to support, no idea (and don’t want/need deets) on how that plays into this cash crunch.
I am hoping some well-heeled person who loves the series comes through. I hope this pays for a breakthrough treatment and James gets well soon.
I understand why he needs the money, and it blows. My insurance is about to be $750/month starting in January. I am in the middle of breast cancer treatment, so I don’t have the option to go without. American healthcare is a broken system.
Best wishes for you, M. 💕
This is what he supported politically in 2024 – I guess he just didn’t think trumps policies would affect him directly. Wife is also an anti-vaxxer.
I had forgotten that. Oh, well, typical.
Yup, anti vax, anti Biden and “too good” for Blue California, that he moved to Texas I believe. I’ll reserve my sympathy for those who care for others. Not this guy.
Yeah, he and his wife have a history of anti-vax support and conspiracy theories.
Hopefully, for the sake of his many children, he’s seeking cancer treatment that’s been proven effective by science.
Molly, that observation has been brought up elsewhere. Given his “alternative” beliefs, I hope he’s relying on good science rather than the riotously expensive snakeoil being marketed to the woo-woo crowd. Vultures.
Tell me HealthCare is too expensive in your country without telling me it’s too expensive in your country?
I’m shocked. If celebs have to sell off belongings then what happens to the every day people when they get ill?
The one commonality between the US and Canada is that the financial implications of being too sick to work, travelling for treatments, and the rest of the hidden costs are huge. While we hww we have more of a safety net in Canada, kids still need to be fed and mortgages and bills need to be paid. There was one family in the news a few years ago who moved to the parkade of BC Children’s hospital in a small travel trailer because they couldn’t afford to travel back and forth any longer, the parents couldn’t work due to the care the child needed, etc.
I am so thankful for our healthcare system, don’t get me wrong. I just wanted to recognize the financial toll on people in other ways.
I agree that universal health care is not perfect in Canada and that not working has other consequences where unemployment insurance really isn’t enough. But Canadians at least don’t have to worry about paying for the treatment on top of dealing with one less income.
Also if you can, get disability insurance and critical illness insurance. Not all workplaces have decent coverage. We should not have to deal with this either, but the creeping Americanism is working to privatize things on our side of the border too.
This is so sad. I hope he gets the money and pulls through.
That is tough. Quite an indictment of the system. What a lovely family. Wishing him well.
Glad someone mentioned he’s a known anti vaxxer and moved to Texas to get away from “progressive “ California. For someone so anti science he sure is singing a different tune now that he needs medical intervention in order to survive. Cancer sucks but does he, so shrug. Sympathies to the children because they had no choice in picking their parents
He better hope none of those kids gets measles (being anti-vax in Texas is dangerous for kids) & brings it home to dad with a compromised immune system.
That said, cancer sucks, outrageous medical care costs suck, and this is an all-around sucky situation. So he has to let go of a few things (why does he have this stuff anyway? did he steal from the set?). What a way to use your fame.
I was wondering where he was living, but agree, Texas is one of the worst states to access healthcare(one of the states that has a higher % of uninsured vs other states). To some of the international readers here, don’t generalize all of the U.S. If he moved from progressive California to Texas, that’s the problem. At least here in California , access to healthcare is much better(some of the best in the country). It’s not perfect, but I’ve known many people who had cancer treatments and heart surgeries where it didn’t make people bankrupt, and they didn’t have to wait either. I dont even need Covered California but they’ve been calling everyone it seems to make sure everyone is enrolled for next year if needed. Our state also provides universal free meals for all students no matter your income and tuition-free community colleges for all residents (even back in the 90s, I was able to take courses for $5). That’s what’s great about living in a progressive blue state.
I imagine he is going to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for his treatment. That’s where I would be going if I had stage 3 colorectal cancer, because that makes it an advanced cancer, and MD Anderson is a renowned cancer research center. They have some of the top clinical research teams in the world. So he would have access to clinical trials there if whatever standard protocol treatment he started with at MD Anderson isn’t working.
He mentioned at one point for a period of time he had to live in an apartment away from his family while getting treatment. Maybe he still has to at times. I don’t know. His home is around a three-hour drive from Houston. So that indicates to me he probably is receiving his treatment at MD Anderson. Also, his father moved onto the property to help his family in any way he could this past year.
My aunt had stage 3 colon cancer a couple years ago and was treated at UCLA cancer center which is one of the best in the nation. If you can’t pay, they provide 100% assistance or whatever you can pay(200% if at poverty line). After 20 years we’re grateful she’s still alive today. California really does have one of the best access to medical care for their residents. I read though Massachusetts is #1, where it’s almost universal care in that state. Texas(red state) with Florida has one highest uninsured in the country, that’s prob why he’s auctioning his stuff.