An Elgin woman is holding a music festival in memory of her “first love”.
Fiona Marshall is organising an alternative music event in memory of her former partner, Gary MacDonald, who died unexpectedly from lymphoma in 2018.
Seven bands from across Moray, Aberdeenshire and the Highlands will be performing at the event on Saturday, September 7 and all funds raised will be donated to Lymphoma Action UK.
The festival will take place in Williamson Hall in Elgin and will feature catering from the Little Lunchbox.
To pay homage to Gary’s nickname Hedge, the festival has been dubbed Hedge Fest and will be centred around rock, punk and metal music.
Festival will mark 30 years since first date
The date of the festival marks the 30 year anniversary of the former couple’s first date in 1994.
Fiona explained how she first met Gary when he was 20 and “a punk rocker”.
“Our love of alternative music and going to gigs played a huge part in our relationship for many years,” she said.
The couple eventually went their separate ways, but they kept in touch.
One day in 2018, Gary’s twin brother, Paul, could not get hold of him and visited his flat.
Upon arrival, he found Gary had sadly died. A post-mortem later revealed his death was from lymphoma.
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer, and is the 5th most common type of cancer in the UK.
Fiona said: “Gary’s passing was a huge shock for us all. I had never even heard of lymphoma before, and I couldn’t comprehend it.
“Even though we had split up a number of years beforehand, we were still good friends and in contact all the time.
“We told each other everything, so I just couldn’t understand how he could either not tell me that he was seriously unwell, or perhaps not even know himself how ill he was.”
Fiona started researching the symptoms of lymphoma.
“I started questioning whether there were any signs or symptoms of his illness, whether he knew he was ill and why he didn’t go to the doctors,” she said.
“I wondered whether I would have known he had cancer if we had still been a couple.
“My life spiralled into depression with grief, shock, disbelief and guilt, and I couldn’t sleep for all the questions whirring away in my mind.”
Gary had eczema from when he was a baby, and spent most of his life feeling itchy – so Fiona says he may not have recognised itchiness as a symptom.
He would also constantly catch colds, with Fiona adding that he may not have noticed increased infections and feeling unwell which are also potential symptoms.
Festival is Fiona’s way of saying goodbye to Gary
Fiona said she has always wanted to do something positive from such a tragic situation.
She said: “My hope for this festival is to raise as much awareness about lymphoma as possible.
“Even if it encourages one person to see a doctor, or receive a diagnosis, then it could save someone’s life and save others the heartache we have been through.
“It is also a cathartic event for me. I’m hoping it can help me find some peace and is my way of saying my goodbyes to a very special man who was part of my life for so long, hopefully kickstarting my grief recovery and possibly moving forward in my life.”
Tickets for the festival are available online, and a fundraiser has also been set up for those who wish to donate money.
Conversation