A YOUNG woman who endured an excruciating journey after being diagnosed with an aggressive tumour in her knee has thanked her “hero” nurse for supporting her.

Bethany Eason, 20, has now nominated Pip Page-Davies at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) in Oswestry for a Patient Choice Award.

She is calling on members of the public to cast their vote to ensure Pip’s name is read out at the awards night, which is organised by the NHS trust that runs the hospital.

In a heartfelt nomination, she said she had backed Pip because she shared “blood, sweat and tears” with her since the shock diagnosis in March.

Bethany, of Oaklands Drive, Bebington, Wirral, had twice fractured her leg before doctors discovered the rare tumour and then went on to have a knee and thigh bone replacement.

Throughout her treatment and recovery, Pip was always at her side to offer help and comfort, often staying well beyond the end of her shift.

Bethany, who is profoundly deaf and wears a cochlear implant to help her hear, also needed help understanding some medical explanations when they were not delivered face to face.

She told the Standard that nurses and the NHS rarely receive the recognition they deserve and she had seen first-hand the outstanding work they do.

“The reason why I voted for Pip was because I shared every drop of blood, sweat and tears with her,” said Bethany.

“On the very day I was transferred and when I was in agony and absolute distress, Pip didn’t finish her shift on time.

“Pip stayed until after 10pm on her day shift to try and make me as comfortable as possible.

“I think she shared my pain when I was turning her fingers blue that night; she held my hand and tried to ease my pain and no matter how many times I told her I wanted to die, screaming in excruciating pain, she got me through it all, and I couldn’t have made it through that particular night without her.”

Describing Pip as “amazing and inspirational”, Bethany said she had respected all her wishes throughout the journey and she could not have coped without her.

She said: “Pip shared many special moments during my recovery process for example, when I was terrified stiff and received my biopsy results, to the day that I stood up after my knee and thigh bone replacement operation and walked, to taking my first shower after the operation, to showing me my scar (battle wound as I like to call it) to the day that I walked down the stairs and out of the hospital grounds.

“Pip talked me through the good times and bad times, and whilst I was in hospital I certainly needed lots of ‘Pip’ talks as I felt like I could trust her and listen to her if ever I misheard something, as I am profoundly deaf and can’t hear,

“Pip would always make sure she made others aware they needed to face me when speaking to me, and reiterate what had been said so I never felt left out.

“I was constantly involved and made aware of everything that happened within my care on Oswald Ward.”

Bethany, who has just qualified as a Level 2 nail technician, added: “Unfortunately the trauma of what happened that particular night will forever stay with me.

“However the help and support I received throughout the weeks I stayed there will never be forgotten and I am forever in debt to Pip and Oswald Ward.

“I think Pip is a very deserving and hard-working nurse and it takes someone special like her to make the NHS a better place for patients like me. Nurses like Pip are worth more than their weight in gold.

“I know that she is a worthy recipient of this award and I cannot express my gratefulness and gratitude to her enough.

“Our nurses do a fantastic job and it’s important that they get the recognition for what they do, they go above and beyond the call of duty and Pip is my hero and deserves to win.”