Kate Garraway hailed for shining light on challenges faced by carers

Kate Garraway has been hailed for helping to shine a light on the “selfless care” many family members give to their loved ones across the UK and the “very real challenges” they face.

The Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter had been open about her family’s journey after her husband Derek Draper fell seriously ill with Covid-19 in March 2020.

He was left with long-lasting damage to his organs and in need of daily care.

Garraway created two documentaries detailing her family’s life as Draper fought long-term illness, with both programmes winning a National Television Award in the authored documentary category.

She also wrote two books, The Power Of Hope and The Strength Of Love: Embracing An Uncertain Future With Resilience And Optimism.

She has been praised for sharing her family’s experience.

Carers Trust chief executive Kirsty McHugh, said: “We’re saddened to hear the news about Derek Draper’s death and our thoughts go out to his family.

“Derek’s illness and Kate Garraway’s devoted care for him touched the hearts of so many of us.

“By sharing her own experience, Kate shone a light on the selfless care that millions of family members give to their loved ones across the UK.

“All too often, unpaid carers are hidden away but Kate laid bare the very real challenges so many families face and the support they need.”

Helen Walker, chief executive at Carers UK, said Garraway “embodied the very personal and difficult journey that millions of families face up and down the country – caring behind closed doors – for someone that they love with a long-term illness or disability, or who are elderly and need support”.

She added: “There are a staggering 5.7 million carers in the UK who continue to face challenges like these.

“Many will have hugely identified with Kate’s experiences and admired her bravery and determination in raising awareness of caring and also the support that families desperately need.”

Garraway, in an interview last year, acknowledged she has been in a luckier position financially compared with many other carers, and said she therefore wanted to “speak up” on their behalf.

On the financial challenges caring for a loved one can present, she said “the costs go through the roof”.

She told the Sun it had been “tough” and described the changes to their lives, including having to take long periods off work when her husband first became ill, adding “and of course it affects the overall income for the family as he can no longer work”.

She said: “We had to wind up the business we had together, and also I’ve had to take on assistants so that I can focus on Derek when not on air.”

But she said she was still in “an incredibly lucky position compared to so many, which is why I want to speak up now on behalf of everyone else”.

Garraway was made an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours, but said this was for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity, rather than her care for her husband.

She said she had received some negative comments about the honour, saying there had been a few from “people saying ‘Why has she got this? I look after my loved one’.”

She added: “I haven’t got it for looking after Derek. It is for broadcasting and I think also charity work. But you know, there’s lots of people that you feel deserve it more. So it’s a strange feeling.”

Garraway has also been described as an important voice in highlighting the “very real danger that a Covid infection poses”.

The Long Covid SOS charity said it was “deeply saddened by the news of Derek Draper’s death”.

Ondine Sherwood, the group’s co-founder, said Garraway has been “constantly by his side” through her husband’s illness, adding that she was “a hugely important voice in the mainstream media highlighting the very real danger that a Covid infection poses”.

Another group, Long Covid Support, tweeted: “The spotlight you & Derek shone on how cruel an illness #COVID19 is, and your astounding strength, will never be forgotten.”

The presenter confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock on how families who were affected by his coronavirus policies felt about his decision to compete on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

Garraway questioned him about his appearance on the reality show, for which he was paid £320,000, £10,000 of which he donated to charity.

She put it to him that he had gone to the Australian jungle to do the show and accept the money at a time when “people still feel very raw” about his handling of the pandemic.

She told him: “I suppose the problem is that because you were health secretary and because at that time I couldn’t visit Derek in hospital, he couldn’t see his kids, thousands of others couldn’t go and see the people they loved for various reasons, because they were following the guidelines.

“It gives the impression that you still don’t get why people are upset because that amount of money is vast to everybody.”

Mr Hancock told her at the time: “I get all that, I really do, and I really feel it.”