Black Isle music festival plan unveiled as woman reveals plan to set up foundation to help millions affected by endometriosis
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A Highland woman determined to help millions of others hit by the agonising condition she suffered has unveiled plans for a music festival on the Black Isle.
Tore-based community councillor Andrea Dalgetty is set to form a charity to support others with the debilitating condition endometriosis by hosting a drive-in" festival on July 31 and August 1.
She is being supported in her efforts by the organisers of the Shenanigan music festival, held in Munlochy, and veteran music promoter Rob Ellen of Medicine Music.
The 47-year-old suffered excruciating pain with endometriosis, and was waiting to have her womb removed, until a chance meeting with a scientist who changed her life,
Now she wants to help other women across the globe who are suffering intolerable pain due to the condition.
Endometriosis is a serious condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes, that can affect women of any age.
With more than 176 million sufferers across the globe, it's a long-term condition that can have a significant impact on a woman's life.
Miss Dalgetty, an engineer who used to fix land mine clearing machines, said: "One fateful day in 2005 I was in the garden when a vintage car enthusiast, Alex McDonald, a scientist, saw a 1960 Standard Vanguard sitting by my work-shop and asked me about it.
"It was the start of a beautiful friendship which introduced me to a cutting edge genome-therapy that saved my womb and finally got rid of the endometrioses that was eating away at my body and making my life a living hell of pain it was in."
Miss Dalgetty said after years of pain, she was almost instantly pain free, and a planned hysterectomy was cancelled.
"Obviously I am not a scientist to explain this, but I went through a process that changed the way my body reacted to the condition I was suffering from."
Due to the simple process to treat the condition, Miss Dalgetty now wants to start a charitable foundation to bring relief to others.
She said: "My charity, the EndoSpell Foundation, will promote a simple way to help 176 million sufferers. It will be available to all instantly, for free, world wide. But I need funding to help set up the charity and develop the treatment.
"That is where help from my friends in the music industry stepped in.”
Friend, Rob Ellen of Medicine Music – one of the original Belladrum Festival founders – came up with the idea of a weekend "drive-in" socially distanced music festival for 250 people. More than 25 acts are now signed up to play over 24 hours.
Mr Ellen, from Nairn, who runs the "Potting Shed Stage" at Belladrum, said: "Andrea took the idea to the business and local community– and thanks to them – logistic and financial help is now streaming in.
"The support has been absolutely fantastic and frankly humbling, without the community's help in both expertise, time and equipment this would just be not possible".
Among the support has been Adder Business of Tore, who set up the website, as well as offering marketing support and ticketing while Tore Car Sales are sponsoring a CD release, as well as support from many other local businesses.
Mr Ellen continued: “The response from the Highland artistic and DJ community has been astounding, with some major national and international surprises that will be announced soon."
Tickets for the EndoSpell Foundation music festival can be purchased from https://endospell.co.uk/. All attendees will be allocated a parking, or camping space and will be invited to stay on-site overnight for the festival.
