Kate Garraway has been applauded by charities for raising awareness for carers following the release of her second ITV documentary Caring For Derek.
The one-hour film aired on Tuesday night and followed the Good Morning Britain presenter’s husband Derek Draper returning home after being in hospital for over a year.
Derek, a former political adviser, first became seriously ill after contracting Covid in March 2020. The 54-year-old is now free of the virus but has suffered long-lasting damage to his organs and requires around the clock care at home.
In the documentary, Kate opened up on the loneliness she feels and the struggles of being a carer for her husband. She also recalled an ‘awful’ when she was forced to use her own body to stop him from falling to the ground at home.
Carers UK, a charity that gives expert advice, information, and support to carers, thanked Kate for ‘powerfully shining a light on the huge pressures experienced by millions of carers like her across the UK caring right now for partners and family members.’
In a statement shared with Metro.co.uk, they said: ‘Caring is an extremely important part of our lives and holds families together. Most of us will become unpaid carers at some point for a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill.
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‘Every day in the UK, 6000 more people become carers. That’s over two million of us every year. Many don’t know where to get help or support and it can be a very difficult and emotional experience. It can feel lonely, impacting on every aspect of life.
‘We are seeing unprecedented levels of queries from carers at the moment because of the challenges of juggling work and care, finances getting tougher and care being under extreme pressure – as well as the pressures of the pandemic.
‘Programmes like Caring for Derek are very important in raising awareness, make people think about their own situation and might help more to start looking for help and identifying themselves as an unpaid carer.’
The Long Covid-19 Foundation, a charity that supports Long Covid sufferers, also praised Kate for helping the wider public to understand the extent of chronic and being a carer.
‘Documentaries like this one show the tip of the iceberg of living with and caring for those with a chronic disabling condition,’ Dr Valentina Viduto (PhD) and Dr Med. Mark Fabrowski said.
‘The documentary has helped show the lengths people go to for help and has opened the eyes of those unaware of the extent such individuals suffer. It should provoke government and policy makers to pay attention and act responsibly to give the resources needed and prevent carer burn out.’
Kate Garraway: Caring For Derek is available to stream on the ITV Hub.
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For practical advice and information about caring, visit www.carersuk.org or email [email protected] or call our helpline 0808 808 7777 and talk to someone who understands right now.
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