Former Strictly star Greg Wise opened up about his sister’s heartbreaking death on Good Morning Britain today (July 22).
While competing on the hit BBC dance competition, Greg was paired with Karen Hauer.
The actor, 59, appeared on the ITV breakfast show on Tuesday, which was hosted by Kate Garraway and Ed Balls, to talk about the shortage of paid respite care.
Greg Wise sister died from bone cancer
In 2016, Greg’s sister, Clare, tragically died at age 51 from bone cancer. She was originally diagnosed with breast cancer, which later returned as bone cancer.
“I was a 24/7 carer for my sister, Clare, who was dying from bone cancer. I did it for three months, it nearly killed me,” he explained.
Kate, who cared for her own late husband, Derek Draper, then shared her own experience.
“It’s extraordinary, isn’t it? We know the truth is you’re either going to be cared for or be a carer, everyone is at some point in their life, and actually, it’s only when you’re in it that the reality hits you,” she said.
Greg Wise added: “A lot of studies have been done on carers. Carers start to mirror the people they’ve been caring for, it’s called compassion fatigue or carer’s fatigue.
“And of course, it’s understandable, you become anxious, you become isolated, you are fearful, you can become depressed, you can start self-medicating.”
‘You’re so completely alone and unsupported’
Gregg admitted he “got into a bit of a problem” with drinking. However, he managed to “get off it”.
Greg made a point that if every British caregiver decided they couldn’t continue, taxpayers would expect to pay tens of billions of pounds.
“You find yourself in a place where you’re so completely alone and unsupported. I was fantastically fortunate that I was able to drop my life for a finite period of time and go and help my sister die,” he continued.
Gregg stated that “one in ten of us in this country is a carer” and that the UK has over six million carers “unpaid”.
Greg said: “The unpaid carers are saving the public purse the entire NHS budget, and what we’re asking for is for the most vulnerable of this six million to be helped.”
Read more: Good Morning Britain’s Richard Madeley opens up about devastating grief after dad ‘died on the spot’
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