A comedy show has helped a motor neurone disease (MND) campaigner pass his target of raising £250,000 for research funding.
Gordon Aikman, 29, launched a five-point fightback plan after being diagnosed with the disease last year.
His campaign, which calls for funding for MND research in the UK to be doubled, has now raised more than £250,000, with £25,000 coming from ticket sales for a comedy gala in Glasgow including performances from Frankie Boyle, Fred MacAulay and Stewart Francis.
Stand Up For MND: Gordon’s Fightback comedy gala was held last night at the city’s King’s Theatre as part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
The Burnistoun team, Patrick Monahan and Des Clarke were also included in the line-up.
Mr Aikman – who grew up in Kirkcaldy and is a former Labour staffer and director of research at the pro-UK Better Together campaign – told the sell-out crowd of 1,700 people that he will now double his fundraising goal to £500,000.
Speaking at the event, he said: “Tonight has been unbelievable. To have such huge stars helping to fund a cure means a lot to me, but more importantly it means we can cure MND faster.
“Thanks to the generosity of everyone who has got behind my campaign, we are £250,000 closer to curing this terrible disease.
“A quarter of a million pounds is a huge amount of money but I’m just getting started. I’m doubling my target to £500,000.
“MND is a death sentence for me, but with your help we can help find a cure for future generations.”
Francis said: “To see what Gordon is achieving in the face of his diagnosis is absolutely inspirational.
“This guy has raised £250,000 so that one day people won’t have to go through this terrible disease. That’s incredible.”
MacAulay added: “Everyone had a great laugh, but most of all we raised some serious money to fund a cure for motor neurone disease.
“The only way we’ll make this terrible disease history is if people keep on donating so get onto gordonsfightback.com and give what you can.”