Our whirlwind weekend in Wrexham has come to an end, as Shane and I make our way back to Canada. I post this edition of the blog from Pearson International Airport in Toronto, as we await our flight to Ottawa.

The four-hour drive from Wrexham to London, seven-hour flight from London to Toronto and waiting time in between afforded me the time to reflect on the past four days. What stood out for me was the people.

At dinner last night, for example, we sat with Julie and Jacqui, the two football fans who appeared with their father in the Welcome to Wrexham docuseries. They were such lovely women, so humble, so welcoming and so in love with their town and their football club. At one point, members of Johns' Boys Male Chorus burst into the dining room and promptly burst into song, delivering two harmonious pieces in Welsh. Julie and Jacqui sang along with them—loudly, proudly and sweetly. They would tell us that the second song was the Welsh national anthem. Later in the evening, during a performance of popular songs, Julie and Jacqui sang again, their melodious voices blending beautifully. I asked Julie whether singing is part of Welsh culture. She said that it was, adding that, back in the day, every coal mine had a choir. There are currently five male choirs and two female choirs in Wrexham. She also mentioned that when their dad was gravely ill, they sang his favourite songs to him. Arthur passed away in August 2024 at the age of 100, having seen his beloved Wrexham football club promoted from the semi-professional National League to the professional leagues: first League Two and subsequently League One.

That devotion to a parent was echoed in a story shared with me by Wendy. After I shared a little of my cancer journey, Wendy hugged me tightly and told me that her dad had recently passed away from cancer. But she added that she made him smile every day and danced with him. I have no doubt that she found beauty in the circumstances.

I was moved in every conversation I had with Fred Fox, brother of Terry Fox. A humble and quiet man, he nevertheless gave a beautiful speech to kick off the first Terry Fox Run in Wrexham. And during a Q&A session after dinner last night, he said that Terry would have been so proud to see the turnout at Bellevue Park. He added that when Terry made it to Toronto on his Marathon of Hope, he probably already knew that his cancer was returning, which may be why he said, "I'm going to do my very best to make it, I'm not going to give up. But I might not make it… if I don't, the Marathon of Hope better continue."

In the same Q&A, I was asked about the importance of the Terry Fox Run. I tried to recall the expression "a rising tide floats all boats" as an analogy for cancer research. I said that no matter where cancer research is conducted and how it is funded, it contributes to global knowledge of the disease. And this knowledge can benefit people around the world. So research carried out in the UK Institute of Cancer Research in the 1990s is giving me, a Canadian diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2020, a better shot at a long, healthy life than I might have had if diagnosed in the 1970s like Terry Fox. Shane said to me that as he was running yesterday's race in Wrexham, he thought about the fact that if not for Terry Fox and the hundreds of millions of dollars raised and invested in cancer research, I might not be here today.

I will remember other people whose kindness will stay with me. John and Jennifer who took Shane and me along with them on the journey from London to Wrexham and back again. John and Kevin from Celebrate Canada Worldwide who were delightful interviewers as well as John's wife, Carla, who graciously allowed me to practise my Brazilian Portuguese. Glen and Anne who shared their appetizer platter with Shane and me, which turned out to be the highlight of an otherwise disappointing meal. Sarah who had a wonderful conversation with me as we walked in the Terry Fox Run. Kraig and Kristie who encouraged us to visit Scotland. The woman in the Wrexham AFC gift shop who advised us on the optimal size of team jerseys. And, though this wasn't technically in Wrexham, George who was a lovely seat mate on the flight from London to Toronto.

By the time Shane and I arrive home, we will have been up for almost 24 hours. It will be good to be home.