06 November 2003 00:00 East Midlands Electricity engineer scales new heights for charity

Mountaineer Nigel Vardy has an amazing life changing story to tell.

The East Midlands Electricity engineer has endured temperatures and conditions that could have easily cost him his life. He is now sharing his experiences at a special charity fundraising talk for Cancer Research UK on Saturday 15th November at the Masonic Hall in Belper.

Four years ago, while climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska in sub-zero temperatures, Nigel became stranded for several days. Help finally arrived when he had all but given up hope but, by that time, severe frostbite had set in, which resulted in the ends of all his fingers and toes being amputated and the end of his nose having to be rebuilt.

During the long months of rehab that followed, Nigel was determined to return to the sport he loves and last year managed to conquer the 6,189 metre high Island Peak in Nepal. Then, in April 2003, Nigel faced his fears and went back to the glaciers, where he and an 11 strong team braved the frozen waters of Baffin Island, off the coast of northern Canada.
And, during the trip, Nigel’s mind inevitably drifted back to his Alaska trip.

He said: “It got to as low as -20C and I coped pretty well, although there were a few painful moments with my feet. It just made me all the more determined to make sure frostbite wouldn’t claim me again.”

And Nigel’s thoughts are already turning towards next year.

“I’m planning a climbing trip to Greenland in the spring and I also have an invitation to visit Japan and tackle Mount Fuji,” he said.

Despite the injuries he suffered, Nigel has no thought of giving up his beloved sport.

To date, Nigel has raised around £3,700 for Cancer Research UK and hopes to raise more at his motivational talk.

The talk will start at 7.30pm and tickets are priced £5, including supper, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK. To book tickets, or for further information, please call 07973 256785.