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A brand new sculpture, known as “Tom’s Baton”, has been created by local Jewellery Quarter company Crescent Silver, for the Opening Ceremony of the Westfield Health British Transplant Games which took place in Newport this week.

The sculpture was commissioned by Lisa Wilson in honour of her son Tom who passed away in 2015 at the age of 22. Lisa and her husband Graham agreed for his organs and tissue to be donated and since then Lisa has become a passionate campaigner for organ donation.

Created in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Tom’s Baton is being held by two bronze hands, representing the giving and receiving of the gift of life that organ donation provides.

Lisa said: “It’s a tremendous honour to be able to donate Tom’s Baton to Transplant Sport. When Tom was in hospital, Graham said that there was nothing more anyone could do for Tom but there was something that he could do for others, then we found out that he had already signed up to the organ donor register while he was at university, we were so pleased as we knew that our decision had been the right one. Knowing that from Tom’s ending comes someone else’s beginning is what keeps me going.”

The Games take place across four days from the 25th to 28th July with around 900 participants taking part in 23 sports and events across the city of Newport. Sports include track and field, swimming, football, table tennis cycling and badminton. The aim of the Games – organised on behalf of the charity Transplant Sport – is to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

The event is supported by Westfield Health, Welsh Government, Newport City Council, Newport Live the local health boards across Wales, NHS Blood and Transplant, Kidney Care UK, Anthony Nolan Register, Donor Family Network, Global Kidney Foundation and Believe Organ Donor Support. Further sponsors include Friars Walk, Icon Creative Design, Rodney Parade, Celtic Manor and Newport NOW BID.

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