Mark Tame, a lifelong mental health advocate and NHS care coordinator, has died of lung cancer at the age of 61.
Career in mental health advocacy
Mark worked for several charities in Bristol and London, including Mind, advocating for mental health patients. After the Covid-19 pandemic, he spent the past five years at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in London as a care coordinator.
Early life and education
Born in Wivenhoe, Essex, Mark was the son of Anne Tame, a telephonist, and John Matthews, a telephone engineer. His parents met in the postwar period at Bletchley Park, the codebreaking centre in Buckinghamshire. He attended several schools before studying social politics at Bristol University, graduating in 1996. Social politics became the anchor of his career and personal ethics.
Move to London and family
After his brother-in-law died unexpectedly in the early 2000s, Mark moved to London to help his sister Lynn raise her two daughters, Holly and Millie. According to friends, Mark's nieces were his pride and joy, and he delighted in watching them grow into successful adults. On ideal weekends, he would spend time at his flat, a cafe, or his local pub in Stoke Newington, discussing politics, food, and culture with his sister, nieces, and friends.
Travel and other interests
Mark was an avid traveller, having visited family in New York City and Georgia in the US during his adolescence. He regularly travelled to Thailand with friends. In 2018, after finishing a decade-long stint with the Advocacy Project in London, he spent a summer in Spain learning Spanish and caring for dogs.
Return to healthcare during the pandemic
During the pandemic, Mark returned to healthcare, working for the NHS in London as a care coordinator administering vaccines. He also worked as a home health coordinator for older people and for a clinic in London specialising in prostate cancer.
Personal qualities and survivors
Mark had many friends and was always available for a crisis call at 3am or an evening of cooking, drinking wine, and laughing. He is survived by his sister Lynn and nieces Holly and Millie.
