Elgin woman organising Hedge Fest music festival in memory of first love
A woman has organised a music festival in memory of her first love who passed away from a type of blood cancer.
Fiona Marshall from Elgin remained close friends over the years with Gary MacDonald, who was known widely by his nickname ‘Hedge’. This is why his sudden and completely unexpectedly death from lymphoma at the age of just 43 hit her so hard.
Here in her own words, Fiona describes her reasons for organising Hedge Fest, which will take place in Elgin on Saturday, September 7, featuring a range of nine different rock, punk and metal bands
Fiona says: “Gary’s passing was a huge shock for us all. I had never even heard of lymphoma before and couldn’t comprehend it.
“Even though we’d 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 he was seriously unwell, or perhaps not even know himself how ill he was.
“I’d never stopped loving him, so when I received the phone call in 2018 from Paul, Gary’s twin brother, I was absolutely devastated.
“Paul had gone round because he was concerned that Gary wasn’t answering his phone and found him in his flat. Neither myself or his brothers and sister had any idea what had happened until the postmortem confirmed his death was from lymphoma.
“I couldn’t accept that someone who seemed fine one moment, could then die so suddenly. I also thought, perhaps ignorantly, that cancer deaths weren’t sudden and people get really ill first.
“I started questioning whether there were any signs or symptoms, whether he knew he was ill and why he didn’t go to the doctors.
“My life spiraled into depression with grief, shock, disbelief, guilt, and I couldn’t sleep for all the questions whirring in my mind.
“But researching the symptoms of lymphoma, it started to make a little bit more sense as to why the signs may have been missed.
“For example, one common symptom is itching. Gary had eczema from a baby, so spent his whole life being itchy – therefore he might not have recognised this if it had been a symptom.
“He was also forever catching colds, so again may not have noticed that increased infections are another potential symptom.
“In any case, on reading that a lot of people who receive treatment for lymphoma can go on to lead a healthy life, it felt like such an unfair and unnecessary loss.
“That caused me to ask myself, if Gary wasn’t aware he had lymphoma, could there be other people in the same boat?
“I knew I had to do something to make people aware of his story. I didn’t want anyone else to go through what Gary did or suffer from the heartache I and his siblings have either.
“I started to think about how I could maybe do something more positive. I signed up to the Lymphoma Action closed Facebook support group, signed up to receive the charity’s magazine and followed their social media pages.
“I took part in some challenges, lit a lantern on the Lymphoma Action website in Gary’s memory and bought their Forever Flowers where they lay in a memorial spot I have in my garden for him.
“Then I felt like I wanted to do something to keep his memory alive. We first met when he was aged 20 and a punk rocker. Our love of alternative music and going to gigs played a huge part in our relationship for many years.
“So an alternative gig with a band or two to raise money and awareness of lymphoma was my first thought, and with September being Blood Cancer Awareness Month it seemed the perfect opportunity.
“September 7, 2024, will be the 30 year anniversary of our first date back in 1994. I knew I had to mark that occasion in some special way. This gave me the strength to set my festival date and get it off the ground after struggling with grief and motivation for six years.
“As the idea took hold, my plans got bigger and, with the help of my friend and a sound engineer, the gig has became a small festival with nine bands from across Moray, the Highlands and Aberdeenshire.
“Three bands have members who knew Gary, my brother included. We also hope to have a raffle at the event and there will then be an after party at our local nightclub.
“My vision for this festival comes somewhat in part from Gary’s charitable nature. Struggling with many problems including financial, he still often helped others, giving away his last pennies or food when he didn’t have much himself.
“It would appear he was supportive and helpful of others in need at the end of his life when, ironically, it was clear he was seriously unwell and no one was aware.
“For someone who was such a bold, well-known, liked and colourful character as a young adult to then die in his flat alone with no diagnosis, medical intervention or support from anyone was such a tragedy.
“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, then it could save someone’s life and others the heartache we have been through.
“It is also cathartic. I’m hoping it can help me find some peace. It’s my way of saying my goodbyes to a very special man who was part of my life for so long.”
Hedge Fest will take place at the Williamson Hall in Elgin on Saturday, September 7, from 2pm onwards, and feature popular local acts such as The Fragz and Be Like Pablo.
Tickets (£12) available from ticketlab.co.uk by searching for ‘Hedge Fest’.
A fundraising page is also available on justgiving.com for those unable to attend.
All proceeds will go towards Lymphoma Action.
Further information is available at hedgefestelgin.co.uk
