A new memorial tree has been unveiled to honour Lanarkshire’s organ donors.
The metal tree design displays brass leaves, engraved with the initials and commemorative dates of each donor.
The poignant tribute comes as Scotland marks Organ & Tissue Donation Week (21-27 September).
Located beside an existing organ donation bench, the tree was unveiled at a gathering at Chatelherault Country Park in Hamilton, attended by donor families and representatives from NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Blood and Transplant.
The tree was created by Lanarkshire blacksmith Danny Gray, who has a personal connection to the project as he knew the first organ donor on the original bench and their family.
Diane Bowler, Specialist Nurse Organ Donation, said: “The memorial provides a special place to remember those whose final act of generosity gave others the gift of life.”
Among those attending was Ian Alexander, a Lanarkshire kidney recipient who is involved with the Scotland transplant football team. Ian thanked the donor families for the gift of life he received through his kidney transplant eight years ago, which has enabled him to continue working, get married and enjoy family life.
Lanarkshire woman Morgan McComb, who received a heart transplant several years ago, shared a written contribution as she was unable to attend in person.
In her moving message, read on her behalf, she expressed her gratitude to the family who made the decision to donate their loved one’s organs, describing it as a gift for which there could never be words or gestures significant enough to fully express her thanks.
She also highlighted the importance of family support for organ donation, even when someone has registered their donation decision.
She wrote: “These are moments of unwavering selflessness and courage. These families, at the height of their grief, can see beyond it in the hope that other families are spared the same fate.”
The unveiling also featured a poem about organ donation written by Scotland’s Makar, Peter Mackay. It was read by Karon Cormack, Director of Quality for NHS Lanarkshire, and Chair of the Organ Donation Committee for Lanarkshire.
Alison Mitchell, Specialist Nurse Organ Donation, added: “The specialist nurses across Scotland feel incredibly privileged to meet and support donor families during some of the most difficult times in their lives. We’re continually humbled by the courage, strength and compassion they show in the face of profound loss.
“The decision to donate a loved one’s organs is an extraordinary act of generosity, offering hope and transforming the lives of others. Through this memorial, we honour the legacy of those donors and ensure their gift is remembered for generations to come.”
To find out more and to register your donation decision go to www.organdonationscotland.org
