80th birthday challenge for cause close to family’s heart

Dereck McMaster’s dear sister Ann passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2019, just three weeks short of her 73rd birthday.

He has decided to raise funds for Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer (NIPANC), a charity especially close to the family’s heart.

Dereck’s challenge will see him walk the Newry-to-Portadown towpath, a distance of just over 20 miles.

“As I turn 80 this year I really wanted to mark the occasion by doing something worthwhile,” he told the Chronicle.

“Sometimes on birthdays you get a lot of gifts that, with respect, you don’t really need, and I just feel I would like to do something different, as well as encourage people to support this excellent charity.

“My birthday is on May 1, and we plan to complete the walk on a day during that week.

“Obviously, with our unpredictable weather in Northern Ireland, we will be watching the forecast and picking the best day to complete our walk!

“The plan is to start in Newry and finish in Portadown. We have no time limit, although we do want to be finished before my 81st birthday!

“My son and one of my granddaughters will be doing it with me, along with my good friend William who I go walking with every week.

“A lot of the family are planning to meet us at the end, and some are hoping to join us along the way for a few miles.”

AWARENESS

By completing the walk, Dereck hopes to not only raise some much-needed funds, but also make more people aware of the charity and the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer.

“Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer (NIPANC) is a lesser-known charity, which receives five times less government funding than other charities.

“The charity is working to improve the outcomes of pancreatic cancer by: increasing public understanding; promoting awareness of the cancer’s signs and symptoms; funding vital research; and supporting patients and their families.

“On speaking to one of the volunteers, there are no paid staff for NIPANC, the charity is run by volunteers and so this fundraising is vitally important to them.”

As his big birthday approaches, Dereck felt it was important to remember his late sister on such a special family occasion.

DIAGNOSED

“Ann was diagnosed in September 2019 and underwent surgery in the Mater Hospital in Belfast in late November,” he recalled.

“Sadly, she passed away in their intensive care unit a week later.

“We, as a family, appreciate all of the care that she received during this time, and we want to extend our sincere thanks to the staff in the Mater Hospital.

“Ann was well known in Banbridge and full of life, she loved to stop and chat to anyone.

“She had a close family around her, including four beloved grandsons, which she called ‘her boys’.

“Any milestone or birthday is always a time when we feel the absence of someone who is no longer with us, and this is a fitting way to include Ann in my birthday celebrations.”

Dereck spent most of his working life - 43 years - in Down Shoes, before the factory closed its doors in 2003.

He enjoys the outdoors and keeps himself active by playing golf and bowls, and walking.

“I would have done a lot of walking in the Mourne mountains, but now I tend to stick to flatter ground,” he said.

“My friend William and I go walking every Saturday morning, as well as some other times during the week.”

PROUD

Dereck’s granddaughter, Sarah McMahon, said the whole family was “extremely proud” of him doing the fundraiser and keen to support him.

“He has been talking about the idea for a while, that this was his wish for his birthday,” Sarah revealed.

“He is very modest when it comes to talking about himself, so we’re here to do it for him!

"He is such an inspiration to our family, and I know I for one am very lucky to have him as such a large part of my life.

“It allows us to celebrate his birthday, but also hold auntie Ann close to us during this time.”

SUPPORT

Dereck would like to thank everyone for their support so far.

“I really appreciate my family and friends who will help me complete the walk, but also to the other family members behind the scenes who have promoted the walk on social media and have helped me with all the fundraising so far.”

He has set a fundraising target of £500, and over £300 has been donated to date.

Anyone wishing to support his birthday charity challenge can do so by visiting: https://gofund.me/67d6eeaf

‘Any milestone or birthday is always a time when we feel the absence

of someone

who is no

longer with us.’