GWH doctor Dorota Marciniak lost her life partner Greg Kubiak to Covid-19. The pair were to marry next year and dreamt of buying a house.

But those hopes were snatched away when the couple and their two children caught coronavirus. Greg, 66, who had underlying asthma, was later diagnosed with pneumonia and died a couple of weeks after Dorota tested positive for the virus.

Dorota said she “couldn’t imagine a better father” for their two children, Kacper, 8, and Joanna, 12.

The nightmare started in January when Greg, who worked as an engineer, started to feel ill and Dorota called an ambulance to their home in Lawn.

READ THE FULL STORY: What happens when you lose the love of your life to coronavirus

“I was waiting probably two or three hours before they came,” she said. “They took him to hospital and to ICU, they gave him oxygen, so initially, they said it was not enough to keep him on oxygen, that they needed to put him into coma and ventilation.”

Greg was later diagnosed with pneumonia.

Dorota was able to check on him via intensive care unit staff.

Then the hospital called Dorota to inform her that Greg’s health had deteriorated overnight and that he had developed a more severe pneumonia due to a lung inflammation.

“I knew that he was dying," said Dorota.

“Covid just happened and cut the dream short.”

The pair, who met in Poland in 1997, had plans to tie the knot next year to mark their 25th anniversary and celebrate with their two children.

Dorota said because the couple were not married or registered as partnership, she will not receive any benefits to support her with the funeral and faces financial challenges.

“We never married because we wanted our children to participate in the wedding ceremony, we wanted them to be grown enough to understand,” she said.

She added: “Normally, the family would get about £3,500 – it is called bereavement support payment – and some support for almost two years. So, I had to pay for everything from my own pocket. He was about to start to have his pension in November this year because he would have turned 67. I’m also not eligible for this either myself or the children because we were not married.

“He was an engineer, but recently he was not working, he was dedicated and devoted to our children and family life, letting me focus on my work.

“I had this extra £5,000 which I had to spend for his funeral. With the help of my friends and family I was able to pay this.

“Greg was also looking after our children, so I also have to pay childcare costs which cost around £350 a month, it’s just going to be very difficult for me.”

Dorota has not yet returned to work but plans to do so soon.

READ THE FULL STORY: What happens when you lose the love of your life to coronavirus

The family currently lives in Lawn but Dorota said she received a call from her landlord asking them to leave the property.

Dorota’s colleagues at Great Western Hospital set up a fundraising page to help the mum.

Her colleague Helen Bleakley-Roberts said: “You couldn’t have met a more dedicated, and wonderful doctor.

“She’s universally liked by people and patients. She’s just a wonderful person.

“She always goes the extra mile. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for people.

 “So, it’s important to know that it’s not just sad – it’s really sad because she’s such a wonderful person and I wouldn’t wish Covid to happen to my worst enemy but happening to her is just awful.”

To support Dorota visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/doctord