Former GDSC boss joins NRL legends for Everest trek
NATHAN Whiteside did not realise far high up in the world he would move when he took up the CEO role at a Newcastle leagues club.
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FORMER GDSC operations manager Nathan Whiteside did not realise how far he would be moving up in the world when he took up the CEO role at a Newcastle leagues club.
In October Whiteside will join a group of former NRL legends, including Paul "Chief” Harragon, Steve Menzies, Bill Peden, Mark Hughes and Englishman Mal Reilly on a Mt Everest Trek to raise money for brain cancer research.
Nathan met Hughes, who was in the middle a battle with brain cancer, when he took up the CEO's job at the Central Charlestown League Club in early 2015.
"I got to know Mark Hughes and came really admire him for what he was going through and setting up the Mark Hughes Foundation,” Nathan said.
"Through him I've become friends the the Chief (Harragon) and Billy Peden and they've invited me to come on this trek to the first base camp on Mt Everest.”
While the trek, through which the group aims to raise $200,000 for the foundation, won't involve any technical climbs, it will reach 5300m in altitude and could lead to altitude sickness.
"Chief, Billy and Hughesie are all fit as fiddles,” Nathan said. "And I think I will be able to manage it okay too.
"I've been doing a bit since May and have lost half-a-dozen kilos.
"We've installed an altitutude simulator in the club gym and I've been doing three 45-minute sessions a week in that to get used to the climb.”
Nathan said the trek has shown him the type of determination that made these players legends in NRL.
"I ran into Chief on Dudley Beach one day,” he said. "I talked to him about some of my worries about the trek.
"We chatted for about 20 minutes and it's amazing how his attitude rubs off on you. I walked away looking forward to the challenge.”
The group who, without Nathan, tackled the Kokoda Track last year, have are already $50,000 on the way to their target for the trek.
"Chief said when I to the base camp I will experience a feeling that will amplify anything I've ever done before,” Nathan said.
The group has a page on the Everdayhero website on which people can make donations to their cause.
To make a donation, go to: https://2017everest.everydayhero.com/au/nathan-whiteside
Originally published as Former GDSC boss joins NRL legends for Everest trek
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