NEVER give up on your dreams. That’s the advice from an intrepid Northside man who will this week set off for a major challenge in aid of a mental health charity.
This month Derek Mahon, from The Naul, will aim to climb Aconcagua in aid of GROW.
Exactly a year since he last attempted to climb South America’s highest peak, Derek (57) is determined to scale Aconcagua and continue with his Seven Summits’ goal – the seven highest peaks on the world’s seven continents.
This time last year, the onset of altitude sickness forced him to turn back and return to base camp.
“My non-summit of Aconcagua last January has made me so much more focused and determined to return and try again,” Derek told Northside People before his departure.
“The memories of that morning sitting at 6,500 metres are all still so vivid – the bitter cold, the wind chill, the spin drift, day breaking, taking shelter and trying to keep warm.
“My fingers and toes were tingling. I immediately knew my core temperature was plummeting. The thumping headache and sickly feeling followed quickly.
“I was very conscious of my situation and the onset of high altitude sickness. I decided to retreat and descended to lower camp and returned to base camp later that day smothered in disappointment but content I had made the right decision for me.
“Right now, it’s now all about staying injury free and stabilising my fitness levels. God willing, and with Mother Nature’s help and the Mountain Gods with me, I am determined, focused and very hopeful of getting to the summit this January.”
Derek, who works as a Financial Advisor at Tara Financial Partners, is a sports enthusiast.
In 2011, he had never climbed a ‘big’ mountain. Having summited Mount Elbrus in 2012 and Mont Blanc in 2013 he successfully scaled Mount Everest in 2014.
His 2014 climb tragically coincided with the worst accident in the history of Everest mountaineering when at least 13 Sherpas were killed following an avalanche on the south side of the world's highest peak.
Derek summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017 and is committed to completing the Seven Summit Challenge.
He has high hopes of another summit of Aconcagua this time round. In doing so, Derek will have completed four of the Seven Summits.
Vinson in Antarctica will be his next climb, followed by Denali in Alaska and The Carstyn Pyramid in Papua New Guinea.
GROW promotes positive mental health and recovery, and holds over 100 free peer-support meetings across Ireland every week, along with community education, workplace, carer and young adult programmes.
Chief executive of GROW, Michele Kerrigan, commended Derek and wished him every success and safe passage in his latest climbing venture. “We also thank Derek for highlighting the importance of positive mental wellbeing and journeying, step-by-step, to recovery,” said Ms Kerrigan.
•To support Derek and raise funds for GROW, visit the Everydayhero website and search for Derek Mahon, Adventurer – (https://give.everydayhero.com/ie/derek-mahon-adventurer). Details can also be found at www.grow.ie and @GROWIreland Facebook page.