IN DEATH they gave the gift of life and now families of those who donated their organs for transplant after their deaths have come together to dedicate a memorial garden to their loved ones for posthumously giving the gift of life to others.

More than 160 people from across Scotland gathered at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh yesterday for a ceremony at the newly opened National Memorial Garden, created by artist Alec Finlay.

Each family was also presented with the St John Scotland Award medal, inscribed with the words "Add life, give hope", in memory of their relative.

The ceremony was the second annual event organised jointly by the caring charity St John Scotland and NHS Blood and Transplant.

Sir Malcolm Ross, head of St John Scotland, said: "We know how vital important organ donation is and feel it is important to say 'thank you' to these families who gave permission for their loved ones' organs to be donated, so that others might live. They are an inspiration to us all."

He added: "St John Scotland is a caring charity and we decided to be involved with this award because we appreciate how devastating it is to lose a loved one.

"We hope that receiving it will mean a great deal to the families and give them renewed pride in their decision to agree to this amazing legacy.

"All over the UK people are waiting for organ donations and although more than 19 million have registered as donors, it's vital that other families have conversations about what should happen when the time comes."

At any one time in Scotland there are about 600 people on the transplant waiting list, out of about 7,000 people in the UK. In the past year more than 1,300 people died while waiting for a donor organ to become available.

The 50 families who attended the ceremony yesterday represent a small proportion of those who agreed to allow their loved one's organs to be used to save or transform the lives of others during the last year.

Mandi McCullough, 41, was among those who visited the garden, and she said she made the trip in memory of her brother, John, who died of a sudden stroke while working as a bar manager in Kirkwall, Orkney, in March this year.

She said: "He was only 50 years old, but it was a very strong stroke and it was fatal. It was very sudden for us because he hadn't been unwell. We didn't know that John was on the organ donor register, but he had spoken to his doctor about it a long time ago and we found out at the hospital that he wanted his organs to be used for transplant.

"All my family, including my two teenage children, have made sure their names were put in the register in memory of John. He was the sort of guy who would help anybody, so I'm not surprised he was on the register.

"Visiting the memorial was quite emotional and we were all given a book to mark the occasion. We were very proud to see John's name included among the list of Scottish donors."

Sally Johnson, director of organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "It never ceases to amaze me just how humble people are when you speak to them about having helped to save the lives of patients who were desperately ill.

"I have never spoken to a single person who has ever regretted their decision to donate."