Patrick Dempsey for Parade Magazine

Patrick Dempsey: My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the late ‘90s, and she had over 12 recurrences and then ultimately in 2014, passed away. So that was my first real profound impact with cancer and the devastation that finding out what that news is. And I wanted to do something and thank God my sister, who was working in the hospital, could help us navigate, understanding what the doctors were saying, what procedures that she needed to do and all of that. When Grey’s started taking off, I had an opportunity to work with the Breakaway from Cancer Initiative. Which was, when I really first discovered wraparound care and that’s what really inspired the center, because what we do there is we don’t treat the disease, we treat the person holistically. So our programs are a lot of counseling, which is very important, nutrition, Reiki, acupuncture, yoga, we also focus on prevention and also survivorship. And what’s really remarkable to me is that not a lot of people know about that or understand wraparound care. And I think it should be standard with a cancer diagnosis. It should go hand in hand. We were here at, an Atlantic event, and I was listening to a panel, and sometimes it takes up to two weeks before you get the results back, and that’s when you really need to be with the patient and to be able to work with them on the psychological aspect.

Kelsey Barberio, Parade: The anxiety.

Patrick Dempsey: Anxiety, also with the counseling and the support, nutrition and also the caregivers as well. We take care of the caregivers and we have a children’s program that’s really important, and all of those things. And it’s just really starting to take off.

Kelsey Barberio, Parade: So as we enter into the holidays here, I know that can be a really difficult time for people who have experienced loss like you have with your mother. Is this a time of year that’s a little bit more difficult for you?

Patrick Dempsey: You know, I think overall just I think where we are in the world right now and certainly the pain and, and because of COVID, a lot of people weren’t getting their screenings. So we start to see more and more people coming in later on, which is why it’s important. And what we’re talking about today is getting those screenings and understanding your family history. More than anything, it inspires me. I had a really good relationship with my mother. I had time with her to talk to her and to be prepared. So every day was an extra day I was fortunate enough to have over the period that she went through her battle. So when she left, I was happy that she was in a peaceful place. And, I felt pretty resolved and very happy. And she’s still very much inside of me and inspires me daily. But that doesn’t happen to everyone. I know each one of my siblings deals with it differently, and there are certain things that trigger them. And they need the counseling as well. And that’s part of the thing too, is, you know, the grief, the grieving, the loss. And that’s the important thing of the counseling is really kind of working through that, feeling that, letting it come up and move through a lot of this stuff right now. The numbers are really quite staggering. 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed in their lifetime, and 1 in 2 men will be as well. And if you have a knowledge of your family history, if you don’t, please, you know, ask your grandparents or your parents “What’s our family history in this?” and then make sure that when you do your checkups that you get your screenings and…

Kelsey Barberio, Parade: You can get the bloodwork done early.

Patrick Dempsey: Right, and I did mine this week too, so I’m all good on that. And then I have another one coming up in a month with my colonoscopy. And so it’s important to do that. And, you know, if we catch it early enough, the chances of survival are that much greater, if treated properly.

Kelsey Barberio, Parade: We’ll it’s been so lovely to talk to you. I really appreciate you taking so much time with us. And I’m so excited about the work that you’re doing with the Dempsey Center. I think it’s really incredible.

Patrick Dempsey: Yeah, please. And I encourage people, please check out the website and, you know, these services are at no cost. There’s a lot of resources that aren’t being utilized. And we want to bring awareness to it so that they have the help and support that they need.

Kelsey Barberio: You worked on Grey’s Anatomy for so many years. That’s a pretty medical role. Did it kind of inspire you in any way to kind of dive into this more with the Dempsey Center?

Patrick: You know what, it helped because people, sort of, they would project onto me that I was a doctor.

Kelsey Barberio: I mean, you’re McDreamy!

Patrick: Right. You know it was an archetype that people really embraced. And it’s nice to be able to do something really positive with that. And we’ve reached so many people around the world. And certainly growing up in Maine and being in a rural community, you’re so far away from a medical facility and you’re so distracted with other things in life, or you’re doing things that, it’s a nice way that you’re recognized enough that hopefully people will listen to you and you can use that in a positive way. And certainly we’re seeing a lot more people in the rural communities not getting the screenings, not having an opportunity to get into a hospital because they live so far away from a major facility. And a lot of the rural hospitals are closing. So I’m very proud to have been a part of that show and its longevity. And so many young people have gone into the medical profession and now have come out the other side and are actually practicing. That’s always quite a treat to see when I go into the hospitals.

Kelsey Barberio: The show is incredible. I’ve watched almost every single season. And when your character left, it was just devastating for us all. 

Patrick: Yes. 

Kelsey Barberio: Would you say that that is the role that you’re most recognized for? Is there another one that people are like, “Oh!,” every time they see you?

Patrick: No, I think it depends on your generation. Like early on, Can’t Buy Me Love was a big one, and you can always tell how old the person is by that and some other things and, you know, and now with Dexter and of course, we did Thanksgiving and Ferrari last year and I’ve been, since 2015, really focusing on the center and doing that and being home with the family and, and being around. So, yes, the amazing power of television around the world. And then to be able to use that, to be able to talk about what we’re doing with the [Pfizer] collaboration now, and with the center itself.

Kelsey Barberio: You’ve had a pretty wide range of roles. Obviously, you know, McDreamy, that’s its own world, but I did some polling around the office.

Patrick: Oh, really? 

Kelsey Barberio: And some of the most popular ones actually were a little bit surprising to me that people were excited about. 

Patrick: Oh? 

Kelsey Barberio: One was Made of Honor. 

Patrick: Okay. 

Kelsey Barberio: Surprising.

Patrick: Right. That was funny because Kevin McKidd was in that and then a year later ended up coming on to the show, still on the show. And he’s one of the directors. And, I always love when the actors become directors. They’re the best ones to work with. So yeah, that was great. So that’s interesting.

Kelsey Barberio: And Enchanted was the other one that got the people really excited. 

Patrick: Yes. 

Kelsey Barberio: And you guys just did the sequel not too long ago.

Patrick: Yes, we shot that in Ireland and Amy was amazing in that. And that was a very special, classic Disney film.

Kelsey Barberio: And then the one scene that really sticks in my brain for you is the iconic scene from Sweet Home Alabama. 

Patrick: Tiffany’s. 

Kelsey Barberio: Tiffany’s! 

Patrick: Right, yes.

Kelsey Barberio: So we were talking a little bit about the hair. You’ve got some longer hair than you usually do. You said you’re in your 70s era because you’re…

Patrick: Right, well, I’m doing Dexter: Original Sin and that’s going to come out in December and I’ve got two more weeks on that shooting.

Kelsey Barberio: But now that role seems a little bit different than some of the other ones that you’ve done. Like that’s a little scary show?

Patrick: Yeah, it’s a great show. It’s a great cast and I’m having a great time on it. And I worked with Christian 30 years ago on a movie called Monsters, and it’s been really fun to reconnect with him and to work with him so many years later. Sarah Michelle Gellar is great to work with, and just the whole atmosphere and the culture has been really positive and really fun.

Kelsey Barberio: That’s awesome. It’s a little bit of a freaky show. Is there anything that’s freaky when you’re on set? Do you ever get a little frightened?

Patrick: No, not at all. I mean, we have a lot of fun. We laugh a lot. You know, it’s very serious. The pace is nice and the culture is really wonderful.

Kelsey Barberio: The fake blood doesn’t, you know, it doesn’t get you?

Patrick: No, because of Grey’s, you know, in the medical thing. So it doesn’t really bother me so much.