A Glasgow nurse, who lost her job after suffering with long covid, is set to appear in front of parliamentary committee today.
Brenda Eadie worked in the NHS for 28 years contracted the virus in March 2020 and ended up in hospital and on oxygen. When she attempted to return to work her symptoms were so severe she couldn't cope.
The 45-year-old now hopes the Griffths bill, which will recognise long covid as an industrial illness, will help the thousands of frontline workers like her who are still dealing with the pandemic's consequences.
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Brenda told Glasgow Live: "Many of us have been left disabled, losing careers, homes and going into poverty.
"I was promised that I would have my pension. Two weeks after agreeing I'd have ill health retirement I was handed a letter to tell me my employment had been terminated and I needed to go to the benefits office.
"Now I receive £334 a month to live on and there are thousands like me.
"There are workers off with long covid some may recover and some, like myself may never recover. This bill will hopefully give some sort of financial stability to those left like this.
"Why should we lose our homes and choose between heating and food?
"We are hopeful funding will also be given to a clinic because there is no long covid clinic in Scotland."
The former nurse now feels as though many have forgotten about those who sacrificed their health to ensure others survived the virus.
Brenda hopes that her appearance at Holyrood will help people realise the sacrifices made by health workers.
She said: "We need people to recognise that we have been damaged by going to work.
"We were on the frontline and we caught covid, now we are disabled. Instead of helping us we've been discarded.
"It feels like we are collateral damage. It felt like we were soldiers being sent out to the frontline with no weapons.
"We had no choice but to go to work, we were told it was safe for us. Even if it wasn't safe we didn't have a choice.
"The best case scenario with this bill is that we are recognised for putting ourselves at risk on the front line and now we are disabled because of it.
"I want them to acknowledge the illness, acknowledge that we caught it at work or travelling to work. "
A petition signed by 100,000 is also set to be handed into Downing Street on Wednesday (March 8) which supports the introduction of a compensation scheme for frontline workers with long covid.
The illness has shattered Brenda's quality of life and she has now gone from a gym lover to someone who struggles to leave the house.
Brenda said: "I didn't ask for this illness, I didn't ask to be disabled.
"I spend most of my week in bed. When I have a good day I go out and push myself, but then I'm ill for maybe a week.
"If I go anywhere I need a mobility scooter. I went to Paris with my mother and I had to use a mobility scooter, I'm 45. I loved my career with the NHS and started with them in 1994.
"I've been in the house for days preparing to go to Holyrood."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said in December: “We recognise how debilitating long covid is for many people across Scotland and sympathise with those affected. From the start of the pandemic, NHS Scotland staff absent due to covid-related symptoms received full pay under temporary Special Leave measures until August 31 this year - nearly two months after England and Wales.
“At that point staff returned to their contractual sick leave entitlement, which for the majority meant a further six months of full pay followed by six months of half pay.”
A spokesman from NHSGGC said: “While we do not discuss the individual circumstances of any of our staff, past or present, especially if health issues have arisen, we always ensure that all appropriate processes are followed in relation to matters regarding staff employment.”
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