Comment: This must be every parent's nightmare

THE ordeal which Lyndsey Cornet and her family are going through must be every parent's nightmare.

Lyndsey Cornet and her boys Chris and Lyle. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Having seen her dad, the much-loved rugby star Bruce Hay, die from a brain tumour at the age of just 57, Lynsey must have hoped and prayed that the worst was behind her. But now her two beautiful boys, Chris, two, and one-year-old, Lyle, have been diagnosed with tumours too, with doctors believing that her younger son’s may be the same type which struck her father.

The whole family are now having DNA tests to see whether they may have a faulty gene that is being passed down through the generations. Their immediate priority though is, of course, their children and in particular Lyle who is currently undergoing treatment for an aggressive tumour.

Luck is the last thing that anyone would connect with the Cornets right now – but they do have two things in their favour that others might not. The first is the strength of character that clearly runs through the family. They have coped with the blows that they have been dealt with tremendous courage and dignity.

The other is the extended support networtk that they will enjoy through their involvement in the world of sport. The family of talented footballer Jamie Skinner found the same thing when he so tragically died of a heart attack as he played a match at Saughton at the age of 13. Sports tend to bind those who play and watch them together in a way that those on the outside do not expect or perhaps fully understand. The family deserve and need all the love and support that may come their way in the coming months.

The fundraising Bruce Hay Memorial Dinner at the Corn Exchange in August will be one way in which the wider public can show they care. We join thousands around the city in wishing the family every bit of luck with that event and their ongoing battle.