Kate Garraway has revealed she and Derek Draper made a secret trip to Mexico after lockdown restrictions were eased in the hope of getting him specialist treatment to aid his recovery from the ongoing effects of Covid-19.
Derek, 54, had been one of the worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, becoming ill in March 2020 and spending a year in hospital, much of which was in an induced coma to help his body fight off the infection.
The former lobbyist was left with damage all over his body, including kidney failure, holes in his lungs and damage to his heart and liver.
Kate revealed that they had made the 11,000 mile tip as Derek is ‘desperate to get better’ after being left needing round-the-clock care.
The couple had met with a world-renowned American doctor in Monterrey, who’d got in touch with them after seeing Derek’s battle on TV.
A specialist travel nurse was on hand to ensure Derek’s safety on the long journey after he head undergone multiple tests to check he was fit to make the journey, with Kate revealing he was ‘aware of what was going on the whole time.’
He’s undergone oxygen and pressure tests ahead of the 16-hour flight to check that his body would be able to cope with flying on such a long journey.
She told The Sun: ‘It took weeks and weeks of planning, and when I told Derek about this place he was excited. He is just so desperate to get better – he will do anything he can to make that happen.
‘I think actually there’s a huge amount of hope for him to improve. I think the treatment could be positive. I want to be slightly careful about saying too much, because I’m aware everybody will go, “What is the trial?”
‘And I don’t want to start something, offering up false hope to others who might be in a similar position.