Mum whose girl was diagnosed with brain tumours pays tribute to nurse after her shock coronavirus death

Fiona McGregor-Frazer, who works at the Nexus TravelShop in Haymarket Metro station, was devastated to hear Rebecca Mack, of Morpeth, had died due to coronavirus.

The 29-year-old died on Sunday, April 5, with her friends saying she had been an "incredible nurse" as they led their own tributes to her.

Fiona’s daughter Grace, six, was cared for by Rebecca in the Children’s Cancer Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary in 2016.

“She was a brilliant nurse who did so much for Grace when she was in hospital for six months,” said Fiona.

“I feel proud to have known her and I feel so terribly sorry for her family.”

Fiona’s daughter has been treated for two brain tumours from the age of just 11 months and it was during her second admission, in November 2015, that she was looked after by Rebecca.

Fiona said: “Rebecca was such a lovely bubbly person.

“She lit up a room.

“She was so nice and so genuine, you could talk to her about anything, which is vital when you have such an ordeal of having a very poorly child being in hospital for so long.

“I remember her amazing smile and how she would keep Grace entertained during her treatment by blowing up her rubber gloves.

“We got to know Rebecca quite well during that six-month stint in the hospital, and I can recall her talking about her long commute into work every day on the bus.

“She was like a friend to me and my husband, Darren. I’m so grateful for everything she did for my daughter.”

She added: “One of the other kid’s parents from the ward messaged me to say that Rebecca was the nurse who had died of coronavirus.

“I was shocked and upset. It’s a tragic to lose someone so young.

"Rebecca is the reason that my daughter is still alive today. She was lovely and I’ll never forget her.”

Rebecca worked in a number of roles in the NHS and was no longer with the RVI when she died.

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