Parents' friends over tonight - guy has cancer - how to approach?

[partygirluk]

So one of my parents' longest standing friends are coming over tonight. A couple of weeks ago my mum got a sobbing phonecall from Liz who said that Bernard's cancer had re-emerged. We don't know exactly how serious it is but it is a possibility that there is no way back. He has an operation in one weeks time. Very dangerous, as they are operating right near the spinal cord where they hope to remove 90% of the cancer (remaining 10% from chemo). The op is 5 hours and risky, last time he had on op he actually "died" for a bit from the anaesethic.

So they are just coming around for a game of bridge tonight, and at some point I will go in and make conversation. I'm guessing it is best just to act as if none of this stuff was happening, but I don't want to come across as heartless, and if I can lend them some support and this makes them feel even a little better then I would want to wish them the best.

[Shajen]

I'd not bring it up directly, but I'd ask how they are doing, etc., and generally be nice and as "normal" as I could be given the situation. Take your queues from what they are doing/talking about.

I hate cancer. God awful disease.