Patrick Dempsey Says Late Mom Would ‘Be Proud’ of His Cancer Nonprofit That Honors Her (Exclusive)

Patrick Dempsey has been dedicated to helping people with cancer ever since his late mother was diagnosed.

The actor, 57, who was just named PEOPLE’s 2023 Sexiest Man Alive, founded The Dempsey Center in 2008 in honor of his mother Amanda, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997 and died in 2014.

“We help people who have cancer,” he said Ferrari the actor tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “We do not treat the disease, we treat the person in what is called comprehensive care. Lots of counseling, acupuncture, reiki, nutrition.”

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Patrick Dempsey and his mother Amanda.

Sun Journal, Amber Waterman/AP Photo

Sexiest Man Alive Patrick Dempsey Teases He’s Been In An Awkward Phase ‘Almost My Whole Life’

A Maine native, Dempsey has established two locations for his nonprofit in the state and says the Center aims to “reach everyone affected” by cancer as early as possible and offer both traditional and non-traditional approaches to treating the disease.

“The kind of work we do and help the family is very important and gives life meaning,” he said Grey’s Anatomy alum says. “I think really the reason we’re here is to be helpful and you really feel that when you’re doing this kind of work.”

As for his mom, Dempsey thinks she “would be proud” of all the work he’s done.

“We founded it in 2008, and one of the things that kept it going was entering the Center. She would come and talk to people who had just been diagnosed,” she tells PEOPLE. “There’s a lot of healing between two people in those moments.”

For more on the 2023 Sexiest Man Alive, pick up this week’s issue of People magazine, on newsstands Friday. For more information about the Dempsey Center, visit dempseycenter.org.

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Source: HIS Education