Cancer-hit James Van Der Beek facing 'monster' new fight: Friends reveal private family struggle for Dawson's Creek star

Dawson's Creek actor James Van Der Beek has been battling Stage 3 colorectal cancer since 2023.

He's only 48, and didn't go public with that news until late 2024, as the devastation of the disease and his treatment started to take a toll on his appearance.

A recent video, shared by the star in the new year, delighted fans who thought he looked much healthier and fuller-faced than he has for many months

And that is good news indeed. But now insiders have told the Daily Mail of new fight that Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly, 44, are confronting, all while raising their six young children in Texas. 

It is understood that Van Der Beek near-constant doctors appointments and painful treatments have rendered him unable to work as much as he once could. And as a result, the couple have come under financial strain.

'How can he look great on camera when he is getting needles stuck in him all the time?' a friend of his told the Daily Mail.

'Also, the treatment makes him tired and he needs his rest. He can't be James the movie star when he is also James the patient. But if a gig comes up, he will take it. It's not easy to pay for cancer, it puts everyone under financial pain due to monster deductibles, copays, medications and general care.'

The cost of cancer treatment in the US is often astronomical, even if someone has good health insurance. And while the particulars of Van Der Beek's treatment are unknown, common interventions for colorectal cancer include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

And it surely hasn't helped that having six children is already an expensive undertaking. 

'It costs a lot of money to support a large family,' the friend said. 'So the bills are crazy. From the mortgage and car payments to all the food and health insurance payments - I mean, it's a heavy load. Then tack on the medical bills. It's not fun.'

Van Der Beek 'loves being a dad and providing for his family,' the friend added, 'he is doing everything he can to make sure they are thriving.'

Part of those efforts have included Van Der Beek auctioning off some of his Dawson's Creek memorabilia to help offset the cost of his ongoing medical needs.

'He is trying to bring in money where he can,' the friend said. 'He feels there is no shame in offloading some of his old Hollywood stuff to help pay his expenses. But he does have savings, so it's not like he's broke.'

In December, Van Der Beek sold some items from the set of Dawson's Creek, brining in $47,000, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

The necklace that his character, Dawson Leery, famously gifted Joey (played by Katie Holmes) went for $26,628. A collection of decorations from Dawson's bedroom, including an Indiana Jones model kit and an ET doll, sold for $5,991, while a chairback went for $2,663.

The popular TV series about high school students ran from 1998 to 2003.

'I've been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them,' Van Der Beek told People magazine at the time of the auction. 'And with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it's clear that the time is now.'

He told the outlet that he did 'have some nostalgia tugging at me' as he parted ways with the physical memories, but added that it felt good to share them 'with those who have supported my work over the years.'

In January, Cobra Kai actor Paul Walter Hauser - who is not close friends with Van Der Beek - announced that he would be raising funds to aid the star's medical bills.

'James Van Der Beek started selling his old stuff from his past acting jobs to pay for his colorectal cancer treatments, and it didn't sit well with me,' Hauser, 39, wrote in a January 23 Instagram post. 'I am an actor and father of [three] children, and I want them inheriting my trinkets/wardrobe/memorabilia someday.

'I wouldn't want to auction off a Stingray shirt or Marvel script to make ends meet for treatment.'

Hauser is working with Cameo to help raise the funds.

'Please repost this and spread the love by spreading the word,' Hauser continued. 'I am trying to raise $20,000 by March 1, through recorded Cameo videos.' 

The actor wrote that he also plans to auction off 'personal items and autographs' from some of his celebrity friends, including Josh Gad, Becky Lynch, Jimmy Kimmel and 'many many more.' 

The goal, Hauser wrote, is to 'continue our support of a fellow actor, father and husband who has rolled a painful pair of dice these last couple years.'

In March 2025, Van Der Beek shared a bit about his cancer battle.

'I had to come nose to nose with death. And all those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me,' he said.

'I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife. I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn't working. I couldn't even be a steward of the land because at times I was too weak to prune all the trees during the window that you're supposed to prune them.'

But earlier this month, the actor shared he was looking forward to 2026. 

'I'm going to take the winter to recover, to rest, and I'm going to make new year's resolutions in the spring,' he said. 'Who's with me?'