Rose Capurro

Rose Capurro is my sister-in-law and she is a cancer survivor.

Although Steve is my youngest brother by seven years, Duane and I married only six months ahead of Steve and Rose. I was definitely a late bloomer. As you might imagine, mom was up to her eyeballs in planning for our weddings. Mom did a fantastic job!

I first met her when she was engaged to my brother who was then living far away from home. I remember the first time she came home with my brother for a holiday. Unfortunately, there was no white zinfandel in the house so I drove to the store and bought her a bottle. Cool! I like white zinfandel too, however gauche the wine snobs may think our taste.

Sidebar: I think I remember something about Rose tripping down the stairs too. Whatever it was, it was something we all laughed about for years afterwards.

The photo above was taken when I visited Rose and Steve at their home near Syracuse, New York, in 2003. Among other things, Rose and I and our children drove up to Niagara Falls for the weekend. Rose knew exactly the right hotel to go to in order to get the most beautiful view of the Falls - something I would remember when my own family started a vacation in Niagara Falls five years later. Rose and I took the kids on the Maid of the Mist and to the Rainforest Cafe and we all had a blast! The best part was that we were able to get a hotel certified babysitter for a couple of hours and walk around the town by ourselves. It had been years since I had been to Niagara Falls (and it would be several more years before I was there again) and this was the first time I had really had a chance to explore the falls area part of the town.

I think the thing that is the most amazing about Rose is how she has managed being a wife and mother, especially during the times that my brother was so busy with, and travelling for his job. She has a real artistic flair and has made a great home for her family. She rolls with the punches of life, gets up, and keeps on ticking!

One of those "punches" showed up in the form of thyroid cancer last year. Rose met the challenge and dealt with it. Because of Rose, I have become very aware of the risks that soy foods can pose. Soy contains phyto-estrogens, which can disrupt the body's normal endocrine function. Soy is implicated in thyroid cancer and can also raise the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Soy is normally thought to be a very healthy product, but we don't eat soy the same way people of Asian descent do, which is to say that most of the soy produced and processed for the American diet is not fermented. It is unfermented soy that has higher amounts of phyto-estrogens and which can be a greater danger. Thanks to Rose, I am much more soy concious. I now use a different non-soy cooking oil. I shop for granola and protein bars that contain as little soy as possible. (Check out Trio bars.) I read the labels on everything now.

Rose is also a great motivator - and a fitness instructor to boot! Throughout the ten years that I have known her, she's always been a big cheering section for me to be healthy and get in shape. I get emails at least once a week with diet tips, motivational stories, and practical advice. Well, since I started. She wasn't bugging me about it when I wasn't ready to take action. Thank you!

Here's to you Rose, my sister from another mother. This hike's for you!