VICKY PATTISON has told how she feared for her mum’s life during her battle with Covid-19 – one of the reasons she today backs The Sun’s £1million NHS campaign.

The former Geordie Shore star, 32, revealed mum Caroll was floored by the virus for a month after she returned from Hong Kong, Singapore and New York in February, before the world realised what was happening.

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It led Vicky to urge Britain to stay inside and galvanised her and boyfriend Ercan Ramadan to make thousands of care packages for vulnerable Brits.

Now she is calling on The Sun on Sunday’s army of readers to dig deep for our Who Cares Wins appeal to help frontline NHS staff.

Vicky said: “To me, Britain is the NHS, it’s the football, the pubs.

“Two out of the three are out of action, so let’s do everything we can to keep our NHS going.

“What The Sun is doing is brilliant — I completely back its campaign and join with everyone in celebrating our NHS heroes.”

On how Covid-19 affected her mum, Vicky said: “She was taken ill coming back from New York, exhibiting signs of Covid-19 in February.

Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal

BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?

The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers. The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.

We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.

The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM. No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here: www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal.

“She said to me, ‘Honestly, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, it’s not just a flu’.

“She had it all — fever, shortness of breath, aches and pains, complete lack of energy.

“She’s still feeling exhausted and has a lot of difficulty breathing.

“I didn’t know what to do. To hear her struggling and so weak, not being able to comfort her was the most difficult thing. I felt helpless. I was terrified for her.

“It’s such an evil disease that when someone gets it you can’t give them comfort, care and love. She is now feeling a lot better.”

The Sun, which each year celebrates our medical workers with the Who Cares Wins awards, wants to raise £1million to get vital support to NHS staff.

Since launching the appeal four weeks ago, an incredible £700,000 has been pledged. Vicky joins stars including Claudia Winkleman, Carol Vorderman, Saffron Barker, Amanda Holden and Dame Vera Lynn to give support.

She said: “Our NHS staff are supermen and women. They are the heroes of Great Britain.

“We all need to stand together and show the NHS how much it means to us and how grateful we are. Everyone, please give whatever you can afford.”

'THEY ARE THE HEROES'

Vicky is on lockdown at her Essex flat with boyfriend Ercan.

The reality star told how she was so moved by a photo of an elderly man in a supermarket’s bare aisle that the pair volunteered to pack THOUSANDS of care packages for vulnerable people.

Breaking down in tears, Vicky said: “A few weeks ago I felt at my lowest, incredibly lost.

“There was a photo of an elderly man holding his empty basket that broke my heart. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

She joined forces with two friends, who own Scoff Meals and van firm Yahire, to help charity Age UK pack emergency boxes containing donations from Kellogg’s, McVitie’s, Hovis, Jacksons Bread, Baxters, Whitworths, Hartley’s and Ryvita.

Vicky also urged people to stay at home, so we can be reunited with family and friends as soon as possible.

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She said: “I’m hoping to see my mum as soon as I can to give her a big hug.

“I know that everyone can’t wait to be reunited with their loved ones.

“The more we stay at home, the sooner we can see them again.”

Join our George Cross campaign for NHS staff

We are urging Sun readers to sign a petition calling for our NHS staff to be awarded the George Cross.

We are backing a proposal by Lord Ashcroft to honour our health heroes with the gallantry gong given for acts of bravery that did not take place in battle.

A No10 spokesman said: “The NHS is doing a fantastic job and the nation will want to find a way to say thank you when we have defeated this virus.” SAS hero Andy McNab added: “The award of a George Cross would show an emotional appreciation.”

We are asking our readers to please sign the petition below.

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