Harrogate dad has raised £11,000 for charity since his double transplant operation

A Harrogate dad and double transplant recipient has joined the organ donation committee at Harrogate District Hospital following nearly a decade of charity of work.
Mark with his wife and two daughters.Mark with his wife and two daughters.
Mark with his wife and two daughters.

This July marks the nine year anniversary since Harrogate dad-of-two, Mark Smith, received a kidney and pancreas transplant.

Mark, now 46, desperately needed two new organs after 25 years of living with diabetes had taken its toll on his body.

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But since his transplant in 2009, Mark has done various charity work for the British Kidney Patient Association (BKPA), including taking on Yorkshire’s Three Peaks and walking the length of Hadrian’s Wall.

Mark has raised £11,000 for the charity to date and as well as joining Harrogate Hospital’s Organ Donation Committee, he has been made a member of the patient advisory group at the BKPA.

Keen not to rest on his laurels, Mark is well underway with his next fundraising challenge - organising a charity gala at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel.

Nearly 100 tickets for the black tie ball have already been sold but Mark believes there is enough interest to sell another 100.

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Local business have already started doing their bit including a £2,500 sponsorship pledge from CNG.

So far the dinner has already raised £7,700 but with several months to go until it takes place on October 26, Mark is keen to source further sponsorship, sell more tickets and add to the pile of 70 plus raffle prizes which will be auctioned off on the night.

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