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The Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek has announced he is selling memorabilia to help cover the “expensive” treatment costs of his recent colorectal cancer diagnosis.
Van Der Beek, also known for the film Varsity Blues, made the announcement on Instagram last week, nearly three weeks after revealing his illness in an interview with People.
The Connecticut actor shared photos on Instagram wearing a Varsity Blues jersey while holding a football, showcasing newly released merchandise for the fundraiser.
“100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own 😇),” he wrote on Instagram.
The signed jerseys feature the name of his character, quarterback Jonathan “Mox” Moxon, from the 1999 film. Unsigned jerseys are priced at $40, while autographed jerseys are available for $80.
Early last month, Van der Beek told People: “I have colorectal cancer. I have been dealing with this diagnosis personally and taking steps to resolve it with the support of my amazing family. There is reason for optimism and I feel good.”
Van der Beek is best known for his role as Dawson Leary on the American teen drama series from 1998 to 2003. and starring as a fictional version of himself in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, in CSI: Cyber as FBI agent Elijah Mundo, and as Matt Bromley in the first season of the FX drama Pose.
Despite his diagnosis, the 47-year-old continues to work, recently appearing in an episode of Walker (the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot) and starring in the upcoming film Sidelined: The QB and Me.
Van Der Beek’s need to sell memorabilia to afford cancer treatment highlights the extraordinary costs of the US health care system. Despite spending almost twice as much on health care per person as the countries compared, Americans are struggling to afford drugs, and uninsured people often delay care and risk worsening their condition.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health law known as Obamacare, helps cover essential health benefits, including cancer treatment and follow-up carebut coverage for cancer treatment varies among private health plans.
Bowel cancer develops in the colon and can spread to other parts of the body. Colorectal cancer rates increase rapidly among people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, while the incidence declines among people over age 65, according to report published by the American Cancer Society in January.
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