A cause hits too close to home

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California
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
A cause hits too close to home
By Paige Austin
11:41 PM PST on Saturday, March 6, 2004

WYLE PROBE: A Norco man looked into pollution even before his daughter
was told she had cancer.

A retired chemist, Mauro made his living putting science to practical
use in the medical and tech industries.

When three neighborhood horses nearly died after developing mysterious
lesions, it was science that enabled him to save the animals using a
chemical procedure to drain them of harmful toxins.
Mark Zaleski / The Press-Enterprise

Mauro says it was also hard science that led him to suspect a link
between cancer-causing pollution found on the property of Wyle Labs in
Norco and the thyroid problems and cancers in the surrounding community.

And when his daughter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer three weeks ago,
Mauro feared it was the hazardous byproducts of science that made her
sick.

"It's a helpless feeling," Mauro said. "She's my little girl, and I
can't do anything for her."

Mauro's little girl, Josie Mauro VanOostendorp, is a 37-year-old mother
of four. Energy and determination wrapped in a petite package,
VanOostendorp is the rock of the family.

"It's been very difficult," she admitted, glancing at her father across
his kitchen table. "I feel like I can't freak out because I'm the one
who keeps everything together. I only cry like this when the kids aren't
around."

Wyle officials maintain that their business or toxic chemicals found on
their property do not pose a threat to the surrounding community. To
date, there has been no proven link to the facility and the cancers and
other ailments of people living nearby.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/corona/stories/PE_News_Local_josie07.a1162.html

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