KILIMANJARO HIKE AGAINST SUICIDE

A Teesside man is climbing Kilimanjaro in Africa to raise money for charity.

Construction worker Ian Dryden is a suicide survivor who wants to share his story in the hope it increases awareness of a growing issue in the UK and raises money for Samaritans as a thank you for the help they gave him.

Ian will be hiking over 80 kilometres up the highest free standing mountain in the world, and so far has raised over £6500.

The expedition takes months of training and preparation to make it to the mountain top as altitude sickness is a very serious risk.

Ian Dryden after hiking up Skiddaw as training for his Kilimanjaro climb.

 

Suicide is the biggest killer in men under 45 and within construction claims an average of 400 lives a year.

Samaritans report deaths by suicide rose 10.9% in 2018, and men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women.

Tuxtra Reporter Christine Candeland spoke Ian’s to find out more about his story:

There are multiple charities available to help people in need, but statistics show that this is not enough.  If you want to support Ian you can find more information on his JustGiving Page.

If you’re affected by any of the issues brought up in this article, you can find help here or alternatively you can call 116 123.

 

 

Skip to content