AceShowbiz - "Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke has marked the second anniversary of her father's death by heaping praise on the nurses who cared for him in his final weeks.

The actress, who lost her father to cancer on July 10, 2016, marvelled at the attention he received from caregivers, and now she's hoping to help nurses in Britain halt government cuts that will cost many their livelihoods as the ambassador of the Royal College of Nursing.

Speaking at the RCNi Nurse Awards ceremony in London on Wednesday night (July 4), the 31 year old, who played a caregiver in the film "Me Before You", said, "Even in my lifetime, nursing has drastically changed. Nurses are beginning to smash the old stereotypes and, for the first time, performing operations and running doctors' surgeries (sic).

"Our NHS (National Health Service), and other health services around the world, simply could not function without you. But even with the support you give, you aren't getting it in return. Today's nurses appear an easy target for cuts, not the priority for investment. This reality breaks my heart, as two years ago on the 10th of July I lost my darling dad.

"Our experience was shaped by the care he received. I was given the opportunity to be involved in the intricacies that made up a day of trying to save his life and it showed me with such clarity, not only the awe-inspiring skill that the nurses clearly had, but the emotional intelligence that came along with it.

"After a panic at hearing bells and buzzers I didn't understand, the hug that came my way and the words that accompanied it both reassured and comforted me."

Convinced her dad received "the best care and medical support" from the nurses that cared for him, the actress added, "The money the NHS has to keep our nurses trained and at the forefront of healthcare has been cut in half this year in England. This has to stop, we have to make a change... To force the people who save our lives to live on food stamps has to stop. Now, more than ever, we must value nursing.

Thanks @emiliaclarke - @thercn ambassador- for all your support at the Nurse of the Year awards #rcniawardshttps://t.co/hrjWTDwie5#gameofthrones#motherofdragonspic.twitter.com/9XcTI6g7wv

— RCNi (@rcni) July 4, 2018

"Nursing is about more than just medicine; it's about engaging with another person on a human level. Like hugging a daughter who knows that she is about to lose her dad... I vow to champion nurses and support workers and to help you gain the recognition and money you deserve. Together, we must support the next generation to innovate and become the powerful nurses of tomorrow."