American actor James Van Der Beek, known for his role as Dawson Leery in the series Dawson, organized an auction of his career memorabilia to fund his treatment for colorectal cancer.
In November 2024, he went public with his battle against stage 3 colorectal cancer. Faced with the high cost of treatment, he chose to auction off some iconic items from his career, hoping to cover some of the medical expenses.
An emotionally charged sale
The sale took place in early December 2025 and comprised 1,350 lots, including items from Dawson as well as pieces from his film Varsity BluesThe actor admitted to feeling "a certain nostalgia" at the idea of parting with it, but added that he was "Happy to be able to offer them at auction."
$47.000 raised
The total proceeds from the sale amounted to approximately $47,000. The most valuable item, the necklace given by his character to Joey, sold for $26,628. Other notable lots included an E.T. action figure, the white suit worn in the series, and a flannel shirt iconic to his character.
