When James Van Der Beek died on Feb.11 after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer, friends of the Dawson’s Creek star launched a GoFundMe campaign that has now amassed nearly $2.7 million (1).
The fundraising page revealed an uncomfortable truth: despite Van Der Beek having a successful acting career, his family, including his wife and six children, are now under “significant financial strain,” the GoFundMe campaign states.
“The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds,” the page says, adding that the family is “working hard” to be able to stay in their home.
If Van Der Beek’s household can be financially devastated by medical bills, what does that mean for average Americans?
Van Der Beek’s situation challenges assumptions about celebrity wealth. As of 2020, colorectal cancer treatment costs in the initial phase average about $56,000 annually, according to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, while the end-of-life phase averages around $92,500 annually. Those diagnosed at later stages, like Van Der Beek, tend to pay more (2).
That means for someone battling advanced cancer for years while supporting a family and being unable to work, even a previously healthy nest egg can evaporate.
The family’s 36-acre ranch in Spicewood, Texas represents a major asset, Yahoo Entertainment reports, but illiquid wealth doesn’t pay ongoing medical bills (3).
In December, Van Der Beek auctioned memorabilia from projects he starred in, including the late 1990s teen soap Dawson’s Creek, and the 1999 movie Varsity Blues, according to NBC News (4).
Actor Paul Walter Hauser launched a fundraiser on the video platform Cameo with a goal of raising $20,000 so Van Der Beek’s children could inherit those items, Men’s Journal reported (5).
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According to an often-cited 2019 study in the American Journal of Public Health, 66.5% of bankruptcies in the U.S. were linked to medical expenses, or about 530,000 per year (6).
A 2022 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 41% of U.S. residents carry some sort of medical debt, including debt put on a credit card or loans from family members (7). According to the American Medical Association, the average medical bankruptcy filer is just 44.9 years old — in their prime earning years (8).
Those who are otherwise healthy and want affordable monthly payments may choose high-deductible health plans for their insurance. These require families to pay up to $8,500 annually for individual coverage or $17,000 for family coverage in out-of-pocket costs, according to IRS 2026 limits.
Add incidental costs and out-of-network bills, and you can easily rack up six figures in expenses during a year of cancer treatment. Insurance is often simply not enough — and it doesn’t account for the many other costs of illness, such as lost income, travel, and items you need to buy to maintain your quality of life while going through treatment.
The family’s GoFundMe will likely provide the bridge they need. More than 50,000 people contributed because Van Der Beek brought them joy, because his work meant something, and because collective goodwill can sometimes help cover the holes left by our patchwork health care system.
But most families fighting cancer don’t have legions of fans ready to donate. They face the same crushing expenses, the same impossible budget squeeze, and the same fear of leaving children without security — but without anything to fall back on.
While no planning can truly prepare you from the financial and emotional wallop of terminal illness, taking proactive steps can improve your resilience:
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Build substantial emergency savings. Aim to have 12 months of expenses on hand, because serious illness means lost income alongside mounting bills.
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Understand health insurance thoroughly. Know your deductible, along with the out-of-pocket maximum and what counts toward it. Contribute the most you can to health savings accounts (HSAs) or flexible spending accounts (FSAs) you have access to .
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Secure life and disability insurance. Disability insurance can help you cope financially if you become ill and can’t work, but don’t have a terminal diagnosis that allows you to access life insurance.
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Create estate planning documents. Wills and health care proxies ensure someone can manage finances if you’re incapacitated.
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Research financial assistance programs. Hospitals may have programs to help those who can’t pay. Pharmaceutical companies may offer coupons for expensive drugs. And disease-specific nonp-rofits can sometimes offer support.
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Consider critical illness insurance. These policies pay lump sums upon a qualifying serious illness diagnosis. They cover non-medical expenses like rent payments, travel and more.
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GoFundMe (1); Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2); Yahoo Entertainment (3); NBC News (4); Men’s Journal (5); American Journal of Public Health (6); Kaiser Family Foundation (7); American Medical Association (8)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
