George Square Lecture Theatre to be renamed in honour of Gordon Aikman

EUSA have announced that the George Square Lecture Theatre is to be renamed in honour of Gordon Aikman, the former Sabbatical Officer who passed away a year ago after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

The 'Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre' is set to recognise the former sabb's time as EUSA's Vice-President of Societies & Activities 2007/2008. After being diagnosed with the disease in 2014, while director of research for the Better Together Campaign, Gordon raised more than £550,000 for research into MND.

Gordon later received a British Empire Medal in the Queen's 2015 Birthday Honours and an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh University for his work to transform care for people with MND and efforts to find a cure.

A scholarship has also been set up in memory of Gordon. Dianne Fraser, a clinical care specialist in MND at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Alison Clarke, a nurse at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital are the first recipients to receive it.

There are hopes the scholarship could bring about new developments in the care of patients suffering from the degenerative condition. They are being funded by the Scottish government and the charity MND Scotland, both of whom are providing £25,000.

EUSA President Patrick Kilduff commented: “On behalf of students of Edinburgh past and present, we are so proud that a student as inspiring and important as Gordon is being honoured by having the largest lecture theatre in the University named after him.

"It is appropriate his legacy and fight to raise awareness around MND will continue for years to come.”