Organ donors at Tameside Hospital were honoured during a moving ceremony last week as their names were added to a special memorial artwork celebrating the gift of life.
The apple blossom tree wall art, which adorns the entrance corridor of the Trust’s Critical Care Unit, features petals bearing the names of people who have donated organs and tissue to help others through transplantation.
Among those remembered was 34-year-old Mark Thorley, from Tameside, who sadly died in September 2025 after suffering multiple cardiac arrests caused by a seizure.
As a registered organ donor, Mark’s wishes were honoured with the support of the hospital’s organ donation team and his family. Following his death, his kidneys, pancreas, heart and lungs were donated to five strangers in need of life-saving transplants. Mark was also able to donate bone and tendons, helping even more people in their recovery.
Mark’s mother, Dawn Letham, attended the ceremony and placed his petal on the apple blossom memorial tree.
She said: “We felt heartbroken, but extremely proud and comforted – knowing Mark had saved five lives.
“As an artist himself, Mark would have loved the artwork – and what it stands for, ‘giving the gift of life’. He would have loved the fact that this highlights organ donation.”
Mark’s family are now sharing his story in the hope of supporting other patients and families at Tameside Hospital and encouraging more people to discuss organ donation with loved ones.
Family, friends and colleagues have also come together to raise funds for the Critical Care Unit through Tameside & Glossop NHS Charity, including support towards a proposed memorial garden for patients and families.
Their fundraising page has already raised more than £10,000 and the family hopes to reach £30,000 before Mark’s birthday on 13 August, which also marks World Organ Donation Day.
Dawn added: “Our message has always been clear from the moment we lost Mark. One life can be lost, but up to nine lives can be saved because of that one loss.
“Two minutes is all it takes for families to sit together and discuss their wishes, register their wishes, and officially sign up.”
Donations to support the Critical Care Unit’s memorial garden can be made via JustGiving at justgiving.com/page/memorialgarden-mark.
People can also register their organ donation decision through the NHS Organ Donor Register by calling 0300 123 23 23 or visiting organdonation.nhs.uk.