Family of Scottish woman who died of blood cancer to host rock concert fundraiser

Julie Forbes (centre) with her family before her death

Mother-of three Julie Forbes was diagnosed with myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, in 2014 and passed away earlier this year on 9 April.

After hearing about her death, people in the community in Stonehaven started fundraising for the charity.

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Julie Forbes was diagnosed with myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, and died earlier this year

Her eldest son Michael Forbes, whose band will be playing as part of the concert, said: “All of us in the family really enjoy music, we are always going to gigs together.

“I am part of a band, the Easy Peelers, which is quite a new band and one day my dad said to me ‘you should really put on a gig, I am going to organise a big concert at the town hall’.”

The family started planning ‘Rock against Myeloma’, which will take place on Saturday 9 November at the village town hall, in memory of Julie and to raise money for Myeloma UK and awareness around the illness.

Michael said: “This charity does some great work around the cause. The main thing for us is that we don’t want anyone else to go through what our mum did and we want the families of patients to get support as well.”

He has also created a Facebook page, saying he hoped to generate a buzz around the event.

Four local bands will take to the stage during the concert, including the Easy Peelers, for which Michael is the guitarist and singer.

The other musical talents recruited for the charity event are The Shackles, The New Routines and Manuka Honey to perform at Stonehaven Town Hall.

Michael said: “If she were still here, my mum would have been so excited about it because it’s quite different and most of the people from all the bands playing during the concert knew her personally through me and my brothers."

He added: “She always held the door open for my mates. If anything was happening, it would always take place at our home and she would cook and make a fuss.”

All proceeds from the event will go to Myeloma UK, which is the only British charity focused on the discovery, development and access to new effective treatments for myeloma.

The disease affects the lives of more than 5,600 people in the UK every year and is currently incurable.

Tickets can be purchased from Michael Forbes on 07513 907 714 or by dropping into Ma Simpsons music shop on Evan Street in Stonehaven.