Tributes paid to 'kind and loving' Gosport decorator put 'through hell' by asbestos poisoning

Mark Cockram, 58, died surrounded by his family at his home in Tukes Avenue, in Bridgemary, on Sunday, February 2.

The decorator had been given less than a year to live after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a lung cancer caused by asbestos, in September 2018.

The illness put the grandfather-of-four ‘through hell,’ according to his wife, Angie, but cutting-edge treatment bought him enough time to raise thousands of pounds for others.

She said: ‘He went through two different types of chemotherapy.

‘He also underwent gamma knife surgery - he was the third person in the country, and the youngest, to have this treatment.

‘I am sure people will remember his fight.

‘He was so brave. He never gave up. He couldn't have done any more.’

Alongside his family and supporters, Mark’s fighting spirit enabled him to raise more than £2,800 for Hampshire Asbestos Support and Awareness Group (HASAG), which supports people who have become ill through asbestos exposure, across several events last year.

Angie said: ‘We had a stall at the Carisbrooke Arms Children’s Christmas Party and – although Mark was having a bad day – he came down for the last two hours to help us out.’

But Mark found time to achieve a lifelong dream last year – flying from Solent Airport in a Spitfire.

Angie added: ‘They couldn’t do many tricks because of his lungs, but they did do a barrel roll.

‘When he came down, he had loved it – he was like a big kid.’

A fundraising day for HASAG to celebrate Mark’s life will take place at the Carisbrooke Arms, in Carisbrooke Road, Gosport, from midday to 5pm on Saturday, February 29.

The dad-of-two had been praised by ‘so many people’ for being ‘the perfect husband’, according to Angie.

She said: ‘We was a family man – such a loving and kind man.

‘He was the perfect husband.’

A service to remember Mark will be held at Portchester Crematorium at midday on Thursday.