80 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • FEBRUARY 6, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com Recounting ‘Carole’s Story’ ONSITE DOCTORS • EYE EXAMS • CONTACTS • 1 HOUR SERVICE • VISION PLANS ACCEPTED • SUNGLASSES • LOWEST PRICES 2 PAIR OF EYEGLASSES QC QC QC $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, Frames & Lenses Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lenses+/- 4 sph., 2 cyl. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Offer ends: 3/12/14 NO-LINE BIFOCAL EYEGLASSES $99 Includes: EYE EXAM, No-Line Bifocal Lenses & Frame Select frame with select clear plastic no-line bifocal lenses +/- 4 sph., 2 cyl up to 2.50 add. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer valid at this location only. Offer ends: 3/12/14 BAY TERRACE SHOPPING CENTER 211-51 26 AVENUE • BAYSIDE, NY 11360 718.631.3699 *FREE with the purchase of glasses. Contact Lens Exam and EYE EXAM tting add’l. *See store for details. QC FLEX SPENDING Use it or lose it! AMAZING WINTER SAVINGS DISPOSABLE CONTACTS $99 Includes: •EYE EXAM •2 Boxes of Lenses Contact Lens Fitting additional. Clear Soft contacts brand clear spherical lenses.Not Valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer ends: 3/12/14 DESIGNER SUNGLASSES QC STARTING AT $99.OO Some Restrictions Apply. See Store For Details. In Stock Items Only. Not Valid with any other offers, sales, vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. Offer expires: 3/12/14 buzz BY JAIME DEJESUS jdejesus@homereporter.com Michele Rodger is a mother of two and an HR manager for TD Bank. She travels over 500 miles a week. Despite her busy schedule, a sudden tragedy compelled Rodger to write. Her desire was to tell the story of her sister-in-law, Carole Rodger, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2008. “When she passed away at 42 with breast cancer, it had a profound effect on me,” said Rodger. “There was no way I’d allowed her spirit to leave us.” Rodger recalls both the triumphs and tragedies of her sister-in-law’s optimistic soul in Carole’s Story…A Scottish Gem. “I wanted to write about her zest for life,” said Rodger. “Some people write poems. I decided to write book about her life. The tricky part is I had never written a book.” Her lack of experience didn’t deter Rodger from trying. She bought a couple of books about writing, which she says helped give her structure. Carole, who grew up in Scotland, was one of fi ve siblings. At 17, she started her own family. She got married and had two children. Years later, her marriage ended. Six months after, Carole was showering and noticed a small lump on her breast. “When she fi rst found it, the doctor said it was small. It was size of pinhead.” However, three months later, the lump grew bigger and doctors eventually had to remove her left breast. After the surgery, life improved for Carole. She was cancer free for fi ve years, remarried and moved to the states. “She was always saying that her soul mate was out there,” said Rodger. Carole met her husband on a blind date. The cancer eventually returned and in 2008, it took her life. Throughout her painful ordeal, Carole’s sense of humor and love for living remained intact. “She always had this sense of hope. So did I,” said Rodger. “She did not allow the disease to stop her. She would go skiing. It didn’t stop her from living life.” Soon after Carole’s death, Rodger went to work on the book, describing the process as a diffi cult one. “It was very up and down. But all through it, (Carole) was my rock. She was here the whole time. I’m sure of it. When I got frustrated, Carole gave me a break.” The writing process took a year for Rodger, who would often work on the book once she put her children to sleep. Her strong-willed nature allowed Rodger to fi nish the book. “I would see these people at book clubs and the fi rst question they asked was, ‘How’d you fi nd time to write a book? I can’t even fi nd an hour for myself,’” she recalled. I was so determined to do it.” When released in 2010, the book quickly received attention from both Rodger’s peers and the press. She was featured on New Jersey cable show “One-on-One,” hosted by Steve Abudato. TD Bank, where Rodger works, also sponsored the book. Although her work has already touched many readers, Rodger still hopes to reach more people. “We also want to make it into a movie,” said Rodger, who is currently writing the screenplay for a short fi lm. “Someone told me ‘I don’t usually read, but I missed my stop on the subway because I got so involved in the book.’ That’s the best praise I can get,” said Rodger. To order a copy of the book, visit www.ascottishgem.com. Carole Rodger and the cover of her book, A Scottish Gem. Photos courtesy of Carole Rodger
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