Paul Walter Hauser Is Raising Money to Help James Van Der Beek Pay for Cancer Treatment

His touching gesture comes after James—who shares kids Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 2, with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek—announced that he was selling souvenirs from his time on Dawson’s Creek, with the proceeds going towards his medical treatment amid his ongoing battle with stage 3 colon cancer.

“I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them,” James said in a statement posted to Propstore’s Live Auction website, “and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now.”

And though The Rules of Attraction star, 48, has faced unimaginable hardship since sharing his diagnosis publicly in 2024, he’s also been open about how it’s impacted his life positively.