- Second World War attack helped shape Bell Island’s history
- War, tragedy, and a Broadway hit all part of Gander’s celebrated past
- Proud captain sails to Canada’s other ‘distinct society’: Newfoundland
- What the heck is bike touring anyway? It’s an experience
- COVID panic? Keep calm and carry on with bike tour planning
- It’s not about where we travel but why
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Kindness comes in a bucket of ice and jug of water
- ConnecTour Chronicles: One man’s gear is another man’s gold
- ConnecTour Chronicles: A brush with heat stroke and then hypothermia
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Content to live with old mining town’s ghosts
- ConnectTour Chronicles: Highlights, lowlights and lessons learned so far
- ConnecTour Chronicles: An artistic treasure trove in a former biker bar
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Even in Banff, COVID-19 has left its mark
- ConnecTour Chronicles: A life-saving gift for our son-in-law
- ConnecTour Chronicles: A pool party on the Prairies
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Antique store owner revives memories
- A sudden, frightening crash sidelines one of our cyclists
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Out of the blue, an army on the prowl
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Cheap rural living brings brewery dream to life
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Warmshowers hosts have equally warm spirits
- ConnecTour Chronicles: A bicycle clinic that started with a bang
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Lodges hanging on by a thin fishing line
- ConnecTour Chronicles: A private fantasy world, rich in local and family history
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Reckless drivers are the scourge of cyclists
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Calgary bike trails a bridge between city and nature
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Wawa’s loyal support keeps country store going strong
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Learning to roll with one of this tour’s unexpected twists
- Amish follow a humble path to a simpler way of life
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Scaring away a middle-of-the-night invader
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Traumatic accident led former nurse to artistic success
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Ottawa family is all-in on car-free, cycling lifestyle
- ConnecTour Chronicles: Good luck dodging bad weather finally runs out
- Charlottetown’s heritage homes have a champion
- Cycling tour across Canada ends in St. John’s, N.L.
- Cross-country cyclists welcomed by St. John’s deputy mayor
Troy Media publisher Doug Firby and Travel editor Lisa Monforton are part of a group of Canadians who call themselves ConnecTour. tarting in May in British Columbia and ending in October in Newfoundland, they hope to make an 8,000-km bicycle journey across the country, discovering how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives and our sense of community. Watch for their reports on Troy Media. More information on the cycling tour is available at ConnecTour.ca. To help them meet their goal, click here.
The call came out of the blue on a Tuesday afternoon. Our son-in-law, Dax, learned there was a liver available and he was told to come to Vancouver General Hospital immediately.
Within 36 hours, the liver was declared a match and, just like that, Dax was undergoing the 10-hour surgery. This was thanks to someone who had taken the time and thought to be an organ donor.
The average wait for a liver transplant in Canada is 287 days. Dax was one of the lucky ones – his wait was just a few weeks.
Doug and I want to thank everyone who expressed support for Dax, and especially those who donated cash to help offset expenses for Dax and Lauren. The display of support has been truly overwhelming and gratifying.
We’re continuing our ConnecTour ride across Canada and we’re still riding for Dax. He has many long and potentially difficult days ahead as he recovers from this major surgery.
We’re riding for him and for the cause of organ donation. Not everyone who needs an organ transplant will be as lucky as Dax was.
Some will never get the organ donation that could save their lives. But if you sign that card, you could save the life of someone as important to you as Dax is to us.
Travel Like This editor Lisa Monforton is an award-winning Calgary-based travel writer. Follow @lisamonforton on Instagram and Twitter.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by columnists and contributors are the authors’ alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of our publication.
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