Inspiration in face of tragedy

IT IS hard not to be moved by the story of the young Tayside mother who passed away this week after being struck down by throat cancer.

Having seen her son recover from potentially deadly Hodgkin lymphona, Hayley Marie Cameron may — with some justification — have dreamt of a bright future for her young family.

Sadly those hopes have been cruelly snatched away by a disease which picks its victims without mercy or reason.

Ms Cameron’s two children will now be cared for by their grandmother, Angela Pieroni.

In today’s Courier she bravely speaks of her enduring love for her daughter — and of her determination to do her very best for the children.

Cancer has been much in the news recently, not least as a result of actress Lynda Bellingham’s death.

Dreaming of one last Christmas with her family, Mrs Bellingham ceased her treatment in a bid to enjoy her last few months of life to the full.

Her hopes, laid bare on national television in a poignant final interview aired yesterday, serve as yet another tragic reminder of just how cruel cancer can be.

The disease is something many people are, quite understandably, terrified to talk about.

It is perfectly natural for us to avoid consideration of the end of our own lives.

However, bringing the issue into the public eye — as Mrs Bellingham has done — may well prove to have a positive impact.

We may not like being forced to tackle difficult subjects, but it may ultimately help us all to cope if and when tragedy enters our own lives.