Edinburgh family pays tribute to beloved dad following tragic MND diagnosis

An Edinburgh family is paying tribute to their late father with a lively musical marathon.

Patrick 'Pat' McGachan sadly passed in November 2023 away following a devastating motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis two years earlier, leaving behind his children Scott, Stuart, Claire and his six grandchildren.

To raise funds for MND research, Scott and Stuart McGachan are running an electric Beatles Marathon for a second year, to honour their father Pat.

READ MORE: Scottish pensioner saved by fellow bowls players after suffering cardiac arrest

READ MORE: Quaint East Lothian hotel with accommodation hits the market following sudden closure

READ NEXT- 'Hundreds' of eager Edinburgh Airport passengers wait in huge queue outside Wetherspoons

READ NEXT- Edinburgh driver, 21, halted by officers and arrested after 'incident' on busy road

The disease affects the brain and nerves, causing weakness and deteriorates over time. There is no cure – only treatments to reduce the impact it has on a person’s life.

Pat, a massive Beatles fan, was told he had MND in November 2021 after he experienced motor difficulties. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Scott, 38, told how the first sign was when he dropped his guitar plectrum.

The 38-year-old said: "He noticed he was having motor difficulties. We were a little bit aware of the condition at the time. But dad knew something was wrong when he dropped his guitar plectrum. He then struggled to play the guitar.

"We were a little bit aware of the condition, mainly because of the work My Name'5 Doddie Foundation did. We were told dad had MND in November and then got the official diagnosis in April 2022. It is a brutal diagnosis but we just had to cling to every positive.

"As a family it was beyond our worst nightmare and nothing can prepare you for it. But dad, he was always so active and social. He was still going to the gym at 70. He had to stop that but he kept being social for as long as he could."

In a bid to raise funds for MND charities, Scott and his brother organised the first Beatles Marathon in Edinburgh on November 25 2023, where they invited bands from all of Scotland to join in the event.

Over the next two years, Pat’s health rapidly declined. Inspired by Sgt. Peppercorn’s Marathon, a Beatles Marathon in Stuart’s current hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the McGachan family held onto the hope that Pat would witness the first-ever Marathon honouring the Liverpool band in the UK. They organised the event for late November 2023, but tragically, Pat passed away at the age of 73 just weeks before the event.

"We are a big musical family. In fact, my dad was the one who taught me and my brother Stuart to play guitar. It felt right that we put on a Beatles Marathon.

"It was bittersweet that night because it went really well but my dad sadly wasn't there to see it. He would have loved it."

Scott added: "He was a massive Beatles fan. He knew everything about them. He would always find a way to bring them up in conversation, he just had an encyclopedic knowledge of them.

"It wasn't just the music he loved, it was everything they stood for. The band was a huge part of our childhood."

Following the success of last year's Beatles Marathon, the McGachan family has decided to run it for a second year at the Portobello Town Hall. The funds raised will empower the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to support individuals like Pat and provide much-needed assistance to families like the McGachans as they navigate the most challenging chapters of their lives.

Twelve talented Edinburgh bands are taking on 13 albums by The Beatles. Scott will be performing with his band the Unrising Sun and his brother Stuart will travel from the States to support the event and play with his old band.

Doors open at 11.45am at Portobello Town Hall on Saturday, November 30 2024.

For more information about the event and tickets see https://beatlesmarathon.com/