HOW impossible life must seem for any parent whose child dies. But when the cause is suicide, it must seem utterly hopeless.

So how remarkable that Michael and Amanda Bowlby of Kingston Lisle have not slipped into an abyss of despair, but instead steeled themselves for a fight to ensure their son’s death was not in vain.

Jack Bowlby, aged 16, took his own life last October. He had been taking the controversial acne drug Roaccutane for seven months, despite complaining to a nurse that after he increased his dosage to two pills a day, he started experiencing “very dark thoughts” including suicide.

This week, Michael and Amanda joined four other sets of parents at a debate in the Houses of Parliament over their concerns.

Not only are their actions understandable, but astonishingly brave too, and we wish them strength and hope in their endeavours.