James Van Der Beek has opened up his trove of career memorabilia to raise money for his cancer fight.
The 48-year-old actor will auction off cherished items from his personal collection from “Dawson’s Creek” and “Varsity Blues” as part of Propstore’s Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction.
The “Dawson’s Creek” star was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year. All proceeds from the auction will go to Van Der Beek to help with the medical costs for his treatment. The actor is also a father of six ages 3 to 14.
This auction is the first time the actor has released any wardrobe, props or set pieces from his projects. The items include the necklace Dawson gifted Joey (Katie Holmes) for prom, which is expected to sell for anywhere from $26,000 to $52,000, according to People. The actor will also put his “Dawson’s Creek” pilot episode outfit up for auction, including his iconic flannel. The auction will have other items available from the series which ran on the WB for six seasons.
“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,” Van Der Beek said.
His “Varsity Blues” cleats and West Canaan Coyotes Hat will also be up for auction Dec. 5 through Dec. 7. The actor said while it is nostalgic to part with the items, he is happy they will find a home with the fans through Propstore’s auction.
Bidding for the items will take place in-person in London on Dec. 6 with global bidding available through Dec. 7.
Van Der Beek first announced his cancer diagnosis in December of last year after privately dealing with treatment for some time. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, more than 90% of people treated for early-stage colorectal cancer survive at least five years after diagnosis.
The actor will return to the screen later this month in an upcoming Tubi movie “Sidelined: The QB and Me,” out Nov. 29. He had to call out of a scheduled “Dawson’s Creek” reunion due to a stomach virus, but he sent in Lin Manuel Miranda and a video in his absence.
