TRIBUTES have poured in for a nurse who devoted his life to caring for others – and even insisted on going back to work while fighting a terminal illness.

Great Western Hospital ward manager Malcolm Stewart, 54, had been fighting a brain tumour since July 2013, but died at home with his family on Saturday.

He leaves a widow, Rhoda, children Joanne, Paul and Kimberley and four grandchildren.

A Facebook page set up by the family in tribute has been overrun with messages of support and fond memories of the nurse, attracting more than 500 likes within 24 hours of being set up.

A number of people on Facebook have changed their profile pictures to an image of Tigger to reflect Malcolm’s love of the Winnie the Pooh character.

Now his family have spoken of the grief at his death. But they said they had drawn strength from members of the community, family and friends who have rallied around them during Malcolm’s illness.

And they said he had been treated like a king upon his own admission to hospital.

Rhoda said: “It has been a long road for us, but he had such a fight – he was back to work as soon as he could.

"They didn’t think he would go back, and it wasn’t expected, but he always said he was going to go back.

"He had three months of managing his ward again before he became ill again. It is amazing.”

Malcolm was born in Blaydon, Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1961 and moved south to Swindon after joining the RAF at the end of 1984.

He worked at the hospital at RAF Wroughton until its closure and then moved to Swindon's Princess Margaret Hospital before serving the rest of his working life at the Great Western Hospital.

Rhoda said: “We were always involved with the social side of things when he was in the air force.

"He was an organiser and would always organise trips, balls and Christmas parties – he was always involved in everything.

“He was always thinking of other people – he was the sort of boss everyone wanted to have. He was firm, but very fair.

“We never discuss funerals, but we as a family all seem to be in agreement of what we think he would like. He will be buried in his nurse’s uniform, because that is fitting to him.”

After leaving work for the last time Malcolm was treated at home, surrounded by his friends and family.

Rhoda said: “On a daily basis there would be someone come to the door that would either know of him or he had treated or he had mentored. There was always someone coming to see him, even people from the air force.

“I would like to thank all our friends and family, far and wide for the support that we have been given.

"The outpouring of tributes on the Facebook page is just incredible, with people saying things like, ‘I wouldn’t have gotten through it if it wasn’t for him.’ He would be quite humbled by it all."

“It made it difficult when we were looking at doing the funeral, we have had to move it to the church so there was enough room for everyone.”

Malcolm's funeral will be held at Christ Church on September 29 at noon. It will be followed by a celebration of his life at Rift and Co, in Bridge Street, from 1pm.

Malcolm touched so many lives

ENSURING their father's legacy of care and compassion lives on, Malcolm's children have set up a public Facebook page for friends and former patients to share their memories of his charm.

And there are also plans to ensure his name lives on at the hospital where he loved to work.

Daughter Joanne said: "He was the sort of person who never liked to be centre of attention at all, but he is so loved by so many – he has touched so many peoples' lives. On the Facebook page I am just amazed at how many people remember him – and their relatives too. 

"On the family side his grandchildren were his life. Everyone in the hospital knew his grandchildren, whether they had met them or not – because he was always so family- orientated.

"It may have been his birthday, but he always wanted to do something that the kids wanted to do like go bowling or go to Pizza Hut, because it involved the kids.

"He loved musicals and the theatre too, especially Miss Saigon and Les Miserables – we knew the words off by heart before seeing the shows ourselves because he would have them on all the time."

A love of fast cars also saw son Paul Radford-Stewart take his father to Silverstone to watch the Grand Prix earlier this year.

Paul's wife Danielle – mother to two of Malcolm's grandchildren – said that when Malcolm had been admitted to hospital he had been treated like absolute royalty by staff at the hospital as he battled his illness. 

Daughter Kimberley added: "They called him metal man, they couldn't understand how he was still functioning. 

"We were all flooded with beautiful messages about my dad about how he had touched peoples' lives, so we decided to set up the Facebook page so we could all see it and so they were all in one place.

"We are proud to call him our dad, and it is so nice for everyone to share their memories of him. I didn't expect it at all – it was up to 500 likes in 24 hours, it was just mental."

Joanne added: "I have looked at the page so many times and I thought, I didn't remember that – you don't want to forget the lovely things that people say. Each time I look there is something new on there – it's almost hard to keep up."

Along with the Facebook page there are also plans to buy a bench in memory of Malcolm for the hospital, while the family are also keen to see any donations made to Prospect Hospice.

Joanne said: "He was our hero – our father, our hero. We are proud of the father that he was and the legacy that he has left."

To pay tribute to Malcolm you can visit the Facebook page 'In loving memory of Malcolm Stewart' - www.facebook.com/In-loving-memory-of-Malcolm-Stewart-1715261168696058/timeline/ 

Donations can be made towards the commemorative bench and Prospect Hospice by visiting crowdfunding.justgiving.com/monica-lansdown.

Malcolm's colleagues have also paid tribute to his services to the hospital.

GWH matron Carol Black, who worked with Malcolm said: "Mal has worked for the trust since 1996 as a staff nurse, junior and senior charge nurse and matron. He was so well respected and loved by both colleagues and patients. 

"Having worked alongside many of us through the years I know everyone has their own special memories of him.

"For me, Mal brought a unique blend of enthusiasm, warmth, comradeship and laughter to everything he did. His great pride in working to serve patients, nursing and the NHS has been outstanding and will always be remembered.

"Our thoughts are with Mal's wife and family at this very sad time."