Patrick Dempsey has a beautiful wife Jillian, three children, including baby twin sons, a terrific job on a top rated show, and now, just as importantly he has a new mission. Inspired by the woman to whom he owes absolutely everything, Dempsey is helping the fight against cancer.
“Every thirty seconds someone is diagnosed with cancer,” Dempsey recently told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush. “Every 30 seconds so that’s scary. Tragically I think everyone [could] be touched by cancer at one point or another in their life.”
Patrick Dempsey’s New Mission
Dempsey’s mother Amanda has had two bouts with ovarian cancer, Dempsey told Access. The first time she was diagnosed was in 1996. Patrick was thirty at the time and was struggling to make his mark in Hollywood when he decided to become a caregiver to his ailing parent.
?I think my sister is the real hero – Mary, who worked at the local hospital. She had the in-roads and knew who to talk to and what to do,” he said humbly. “She was, I think, the real savior of the family because she calmed us all down by giving us the information that we needed to feel good and certainly that’s the key.”
His mother’s battles with the disease (which she is now in remission from) prompted Patrick to joined forces with “Breakaway from Cancer,” a support group raising awareness and funds to help people living with cancer. And with Dr. McDreamy’s new, celebrity status, Patrick feels fortunate to be in a position to lend a hand.
“I can help because of the visibility that the show gives me that you can get an interview that maybe somebody else could not get so that you can get the word out there,” he told Billy. “And, I think it’s important to give back. Celebrity is ridiculous to begin with and I think you need to turn that into a positive and get away from the
trappings of the other side of things.”
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