by Mat Capper
an interview with Alison Capper
Alison Capper left school at 16 to give birth to her eldest son. She had no qualifications and went on to have three children by the age of 22. After a turbulent and often abusive relationship with her husband she went to college and did an access course. This led to a degree and PHD. Today she is a highly respected and leading authority in the world of molecular biology — oh, and she's also my ma.
Name: Mat's mum
Occupation: Molecular Biologist
D.O.B: 12/06/1956
What did you want to be when you were young?
A singer. I used to sing in front of family and friends from the age of about 3.
What were your dreams like at that age?
Vivid & scary. I was very worried about the dark, death and demons as a young child — came out in my dreams — I expect it does with lots of little children.
Who did you expect you were going to grow old with?
My family, especially my sister Val.
Who were your heroes?
I can't remember having real heroes as a young child- except maybe fictitious people from books, including Enid Blyton ones! As I grew up my heroes were often people, be they historical or alive, who were scientists, doctors and people you read about who persevered in adversity yet managed to make a difference. One such person who I wouldn't exactly call a hero but someone I admired and was intrigued by was Rosalind Franklin — bit of a clique for a female molecular biologist — but true.
Who were the people that influenced you most?
The kind of people described in answer 5 – plus my lovely gentle nanny.
What are your happiest and saddest memories?
One of my happiest and still most vivid memories is the moment I saw my first son, Mathew, after he was born. I was pretty out of it for a few days after his birth by caesarean section and remember trying so hard to move up the hospital bed to try and see him (he wasn't in one of those clear plastic cots). It was the most instant and overwhelming sense of love and happiness that I have ever experienced.
Saddest memory – my sister dying. It was so incredibly sad, she knew she was dying, wanted so much to live, tried so hard to live and just wasn't ready to die.
If you could change one thing, what would it be?
The first 'change' that springs to mind is that I should have taken my boys away from their father when they were little and protected them from his control freak dominance and violent dysfunctional behaviour towards others. He made them suffer in a way children should never suffer. But, despite their screwed-up father they have developed into incredibly funny, loving, talented young men who consider and care a great deal about other people. They truly understand 'what a man should not be or do'. That concept helps.
If I could change just one thing it would be to have my sister alive and well.
What do you do now?
I spend a lot of time working! I am a molecular biologist working in medical research. My main interest or rather problem to research is preterm labour and preterm birth. Babies born very early don't often survive and those that do often live with lots of serious health problems. Drugs to prevent preterm labour don't work. So, in very simple terms, we are trying to understand how genes involved with initiating preterm labour get switched on and off and how can we intervene and develop new safer therapeutic strategies to regulate them. Some of these genes are also involved in the progression of breast cancer and this is another area of research close to my heart.
What would you like to achieve?
To carry out good science and contribute to making a difference however small. To inspire and teach my students well and instil in them the importance of the following quotation on hypotheses and science. " A most venomous thing in the making of sciences; for whoever has fixed on his Cause, before he has experimented, can hardly avoid fitting his Experiments to his own Cause……….rather than the Cause to the truth of the Experiment itself." (Thomas Sprat, 1667).
Who inspires you now?
Lots of people. Dedicated people who work hard and are true to their cause. Especially one now retired professor of obstetrics who always makes me laugh and is someone who has made a huge difference and touched many people's lives.
What frightens you?
Losing loved ones and anything significant going wrong to hurt, harm or upset my sons. A constant fear is that one of my sons inadvertently eats something containing a nut product.
If you could go back and give yourself advice at the age of 15 what would it be?
I had to grow up very quickly at 15 and looking back was so naïve. Although I probably needed advice and guidance at that tender age – if I had taken it I wouldn't have had my sons or encountered true love.
Lastly, close your eyes, picture paradise and describe it.
First thought was the 'usual'-orange horizon, calm waters, isolated beach in solitude-that's probably just an association with the word paradise. But the 'real' paradise or dream would be living in an old remote detached house in a beautiful warm place with lots of spacious airy rooms surrounded by fields and gardens with dogs and goats. Paradise would be having family come and stay as they please.