My sister and I spoke to the wife of a Filipino theatre nurse based in London who died of COVID-19 in March. (Am not publishing his name for the privacy of his family). He was a revered medical professional, spending 12 years as a professor at the 'Cambridge' of the Philippines.

His wife did not want to put her camera on (understandably) so I put mine on for a moment, in the beginning, to show her a warm face. I wished so badly that I could hold her hand. We then proceeded with our call with cameras switched off. She showed incredible strength & grace.

Despite being at the peak of his career, this Filipino nurse made the sacrifice of moving his family to the UK to provide a better life for them. He was so determined. He was "soft-spoken and always supportive," said his wife.

His old students can't believe he's gone. It has sent shockwaves through the community in the Philippines. They credit him for playing a fundamental part in their medical careers. He leaves behind his wife and two children, 21 and 11. It was his daughter's birthday last week.

His wife says some days the children seem alright. Other days they ask, "Will we be okay?" She's trying hard to shield them but she's afraid. And lonely. They were proud parents, a great partnership focused on providing a future. That future now relies on her alone.

As we said goodbye at the end of our call, I put my camera on again. I felt compelled to as a way to show compassion and togetherness despite the virtual distance. It felt inadequate though. Two seconds later, she unexpectedly turned her camera on too.

There she was, sitting in the bedroom they had shared.Her eyes were tired and red from crying. A tissue in her hand. I got off the call and wept. She doesn't feel it yet but she is strong & able. And not alone. Her children will remember the mother that carried them through this.

Please help us help families like this. We now know that Filipinos are the single highest nationality affected by COVID-19 in the UK health and care community. They protected our families. Let's now protect theirs. http://balikbayani.org