Sad news for Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey as his mother passed away at 79-years-old Monday night.

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According to E! News Amanda Dempsey died in a hospice setting after losing her battle to cancer after she fought the disease several times since first being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997. Dempsey along with his two sisters joined the fight for their mother back in 2008 and launched The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing partnered with the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Me., where Amanda was receiving treatment. It has since raised more than $5 million.

While Patrick has not spoken out about his mother's passing as o now, his sister, Mary Dempsey, released a written statement that read, "Mom was a humble, beautiful spirit, with great courage who lived life in the present and gave hope to all."

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Mary also serves as the assistant director of the center.

President and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, Peter Chalke, also said, "The entire Central Maine Medical family mourns the passing of Amanda Dempsey. [She] was a great lady and a determined fighter who displayed tremendous courage, class and grace during her long battle with cancer. We will miss Amanda deeply, but we were all blessed by knowing her and being inspired by her life story."

The center's Executive Director Wendy Tardif added that Amanda was a brave woman full of spunk.

"I do think people see her as a resilient, feisty, courageous woman who gives people a lot of hope. She always had a positive attitude. She's been an iconic figure. To say she's going to be missed is an understatement."

She also said the two-day Dempsey Challenge, which begins on Sept. 27, won't be the same without her this year.

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