A heartbroken Fife mum is now facing fresh agony.
Leigh Smith, who lost her little daughter Gemma Campbell in a horror road accident near Springfield 13 years ago, has been diagnosed with a rare cancer in the base of her skull.
Having endured one tragedy, now the family are facing up to a whole new challenge.
Following a nine-hour operation to remove around 80% of the cancerous tumour, Leigh will now be separated from her loving family for around nine or 10 weeks as she endures pioneering treatment in America.
But she will never feel alone, for family and friends in Springfield and Cupar are rallying round to offer support, and vital funds to help the stricken family.
Tragedy struck back in 2003 when Gemma and her young pal Gemma Forbes both died as they made their way home for tea.
More misery was heaped on the family when Leigh’s father died at the tragically young age of 61 just months later.
Both her brother and sister have also come through frightening health scares.
And then Leigh, whose marriage to Gemma’s dad Andrew buckled under the stress, began to feel unwell.
Just before her fourth child, Marli, who is now eight, came along she suffered two epileptic fits.
Then she started having headaches at the back of her skull.
“I had not been feeling right, I could not put my finger on it and just plodded on anyway.
Devastatingly, MRIs and CT scans revealed a tumour pressing against her cranial nerve, which affects her tongue, speech and eating behaviour.
It turned out to be chordoma, a rare type of the disease which occurs in the bones of the skull and spine.
One case per million people is diagnosed each year.
Generally slow growing, they tend to recur after treatment.
Because of their proximity to critical areas they are difficult to treat and require highly specialised care.
As its growth seemed to speed up, Leigh was admitted to hospital in Aberdeen for surgery, but will now have to travel to Jacksonville, Florida, for more treatment which is not available in this country.
While her treatment, flights and accommodation will be paid for by the NHS, her loved ones are rallying round to fundraise to pay her living expenses, and those of sister Arlene, who is taking unpaid leave to become her carer while she is in the States.
Val El-Dieb from the Golf Tavern in Cupar, a long time friend, is planning a series of fundraisers while Arlene has set up a GoFundMe page.
Meanwhile Leigh’s eldest daughter Amy, 27, will be caring for her two sisters as well as her own three sons.
Now Leigh is just waiting for the call to say she should pack her bags for her lifesaving trip.
The brave-hearted mum is putting a brave face on what she has already come through, and what still lies ahead.
Even after her return home, they will be a lengthy period of recuperation.
“But I will be pleased to get to that stage,” she said.
