Biography
Cook in the Canadian Forces from 1989 to 2011, Derek Speirs was part of the crew of the infamous Submarine Chicoutimi in 2004. On October 5, 2004, he was returning from England and there was an explosion and fire on board. Derek and his partners were shipwrecked for five days and they lost a teammate. As a result, Derek developed epilepsy. During one of them, he broke his back in five places. Derek Speirs also has severe post-traumatic stress disorder in addition to juggling depression. He participated in the prestigious Invictus Games, a multi-sport competition for soldiers and veterans with disabilities or who suffered injuries during their years of service. Derek is a fighter and is very involved in the QPRN knowledge transfer initiative.
