James Van Der Beek revisits ‘Varsity Blues’ to help families with cancer treatment costs

Actor James Van Der Beek said he is selling signed “Varsity Blues” merchandise to help families struggling with the cost of cancer treatments, following his revelation last month of his own cancer diagnosis.

In an Instagram post last week, Van Der Beek, 47, shared photos of himself wearing a blue jersey from the 1999 sports movie while holding a football.

The actor, who is also known for his eponymous role as Dawson Leery in “Dawson’s Creek,” said he was “excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary” of the movie and was selling “limited edition” jerseys featuring the No. 4 and “Moxon” – the name of his character, quarterback Jonathan “Mox” Moxon.

“100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own),” the actor wrote on Instagram.

Autographed and non-autographed jerseys are for sale on Van Der Beek’s website.

CNN has reached out to representatives for the actor for comment.

Van Der Beek announced last month that he’s been getting treatment for colorectal cancer.

“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he said in a statement. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

Van Der Beek has six children with his wife Kimberly.

In “Varsity Blues,” Van Der Beek plays an academically minded backup quarterback for his small-town high school football team during a difficult season. The cult-favorite movie also stars the late Paul Walker, Jon Voight, Ali Larter and Amy Smart.

In the United States, about 1 in 23 men and 1 in 25 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

Costs for cancer treatment in the US can take a huge financial toll on patients and their families. A 2022 survey from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network found that 51 per cent of cancer patients and survivors reported going into medical debt as a result of the costs of their cancer care.