A Sister’s Love Inspired a Legacy
Growing up in Waterford, Connecticut, as the eldest of six children, Rosemarie Sottile shared an exceptionally close bond with her sister, Terri. She deeply treasured their time together, remembering Terri as a remarkably beautiful, kind, and thoughtful person who built a wonderful life with her loving husband and three young children. Tragically, at just 41 years old, Terri lost her courageous battle with breast cancer.
Motivated to honor Terri's memory, Rosemarie supported the newly formed Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation (TBBCF) from its very beginning. In 2007, while living in the Hartford area, she volunteered as the Donor Relations Director. She streamlined donor activities and ensured walkers were thanked for completing the Walk Across Southeastern Connecticut.
In addition to her administrative help, Rosemarie set out to walk the Foundation's signature 26.2-mile marathon. However, balancing a demanding 70- to 90-hour workweek as a Senior
Program Project Manager at Aetna and raising her young son left her with no spare time to train. During the first two years, unable to cross the finish line, she felt the heavy weight of feeling like she was letting her sister down.
When the Foundation introduced a virtual walking option, it offered a transformative alternative. It allowed busy people to contribute meaningfully without the stigma of not being physically able to complete a single-day marathon.
Embracing this flexible path, Rosemarie began tackling the full 26.2-mile distance over multiple days at her own pace. Whether logging miles along the Niantic Bay Boardwalk, around her apartment complex, or through Rocky Neck and Hammonasset Beach State Parks, she stayed steadfast in her goal, consistently raising around $1,000 annually with help from the Charter Oak Credit Union matching gift.
About three years ago, Rosemarie moved back to Southeastern Connecticut. Though her schedule remains busy with work, she registers, steps out the door, and starts walking.
For Rosemarie, the real celebration isn't a finish-line fanfare, it's knowing that every mile walked and every dollar raised directly advances the fight against breast cancer in honor of her sister Terri, Norma, survivors, and all those lost to the disease.