Nurses Vitor & Claudia Gomes: We Live for Each Other

Helen says: "I was in the middle of planning a tour of Portugal when the pandemic struck so it felt incredibly appropriate to be paired with Vitor & Claudia. Their story brought home how tough it was to face such a difficult challenge day after day, all the time arranging shifts so they could care for their young son. They are true heroes and truly beautiful people, and it was my absolute pleasure to paint the family enjoying one of their favourite walks. Thank you so much to Tom for such a great initiative and for introducing me to Vitor and Claudia."

Vitor says: "My wife and I are both nurses. I have 25 years of nursing and Claudia is celebrating 20 years this year. Most of our careers have been spent in Portugal but we have been working here coming up to 8 years. Recently, I have been commissioning a new ICU and Claudia is a head of nursing who had been waiting to be deployed to a Nightingale Hospital when this portrait was painted. We have no family here so we live for each other and our son who we adore. We absolutely love our portrait. Times have been very tough and this warm gesture has filled our hearts with such happiness."