Hi David and Myrea

Aimee and I were out for lunch today with a very good friend of ours who had traveled through from Dundee to spend the day with us. We were looking in the Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow when we saw Myrea’a wonderful fairies in the Thornton’s shop there. Naturally we name-dropped to say that they had been created by a very good friend of ours and happened to mention that the fairies world website was sooooo… worth a visit.

I secretly spied some wonderful boxes that will make their way into Santa’s sack before the big day

Myrea – we think you are simply wonderful – what a special gift to be able to share with others what you sense and feel about the fairy world. Thank you both too for the wonderful pack of fairy art and books that you gifted to the Queens Hotel for their fund raiser – they were very much sought after items.

I have worked with the staff at the Queens Hotel for a number of years and count them amongst my friends.. I had not reaslied how distressed they felt at Aimee’s relapse and the setbacks that followed. I also learned for the first time on the night that they are avid followers of Aimee’s progress on the fairies world website. The fund raiser was a highly successful event with some 80 ladies from the business community in Dundee and together they raised £3000 to help with our plans to take to Aimee to Hawaii when she is fit enough to go. There is also enough to help a little with Santa’s sack to make sure that Leigh and Aimee are well taken care of at Christmas. I was delighted that on the night Rosemary Richardson won a marvellous marks and spencers gift hampers in the raffle.

I also learned that the Scottish blood bank are to change their recruitment procedures early next year to allow first time blood donors to also become bone marrow donors – bringing the service into line with England and Wales. This is something I have been campaigning for since the Spring – it is such an important step forward I hope it helps to swell the ranks considerably. It means that blood donors aged between 18 and 45 can take the necessary steps to register as a bone marrow donor from day one. I was also deeply moved that a couple of the lady guests at the Queen’s Hotel fundraiser spoke to me about becoming donors after hearing about Aimee’s story.

David – some of the above might we worth an update on the website to say a very special thank you to the Queens Hotel and to help spread the word about Myrea’s wonderful chocolate fairies

light and love

Rosie and Aimee

Aimee managed a trip home to Dundee over the halloween weekend to visit a few friends but was soon exhausted. We have spent much of the past year with a lot of very ill childern where in comparison Aimee has been comparatively well. It became obvious that she had a long way to go to recover anything near her former strength.

She wants to be well so much and has to be reminded that every small step forward leads to a bigger one. It will be at least a year before she has regained a good measure of her former strength, it is now three months since her transplant and we are grateful that she has managed to stay out of hospital over the last month, visiting regularly for blood tests though

We are beginning to feel a bit more at ease in our routine now and even managing a few trips out. We were given tickets to see the Moscow Ballet in Sleeping Beauty at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall which we thoroughly enjoyed. Our son Leigh is taking us all by surprise in exploring his potential as a stand up comic and appearing at the Glasgow ” Stand” Comedy club.

Our next mile stone will hopefully be the completion of the 100 post transplant days in late November. We hope to have a short break then to celebrate and after that start count down to Christmas. We are very much looking to being home for Christmas.

Rosie Butler – Aimee’s mum

From: “Rosie Butler To: “David Riché” Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 10:03 PM
Subject: an update on Aimee

Dear Friends of Aimee

It’s been a few days since I last wrote and many of you would not know that Aimee had a serious blood infection that gave us all a worrying time and a set back just as she was making a good recovery from her transplant. The love and support of friends has been wonderful and thankfully Aimee has made a full recovery from the septacemia. Our priority now is to help her grow strong and free of infection as the new bone marrow grafts into its new home.She has had a new central line inserted and so far it seems to be settling in well, even better news is that Aimee has resumed being allowed out on pass and even on overnight pass – for the moment she sleeps in Mum’s bed. We know that each day is not to be prejudged and are grateful for every good day that we have.

David, once again the fairy artists have stepped forward with their own special healing magic. Warnes the publishers of Cecily Mary Barkers Flower Fairy books kindly sent some of the latest new ones for Aimee to help cheer her as she recovered from the septacemia, she enjoyed them very much and is proud to add them to her growing collection. It is lovely to see a new generation of these wonderful poems become more generally available.
Ryu Takeuchi the Japanese artist sent Aimee a new set of fairy prints – it is lovely to see how his work is evovling and changing – Aimee especially likes his use of colour. Another artist – Jasmine Becket-Griffith- sent a delightful set of prints of fairies and cats – as you know two of Aimee’s most favourite subjects.
Linda Ravenscroft sent a beautiful fairy face and made it into game where Aimee could change the features, and Linda Biggs sent some lovely Barbie dolls from the US.
The Bad Monkeys at David Delamare’s studio’s are sending some fairy prints to the children and staff on the ward. Marcia Mayer Zinga who wrote the wonderful book Believing in Faries – a Manual for Grown Ups – ( and which was beautifully illustrated by Tom Cross on the front cover ) was especially supportive.
Friends at home too – our honorary Grandparents John and Rosemary continue to love and support Aimee in a very special way. Many more reminded us just how much Aimee is in their thoughts and prayers. I am still trying to catch up with the thank yous. We seem to live in a space and time which is all consuming and is all to easy to forget that there is another world going on.

The Fairy Artists have been so kind and thoughtful, each day it gives Aimee added strength to see more fairy wishes arrive in the post, that strength gives us all hope for her recovery.

I like the re-design of the Fairies World website – you certainly seem to not only have created a very special niche and made it your own but you have had the wisdom to allow it to blossom into its own very special genre. I know many people that are now very much aware of fairies in the world around them and to be sure I am too following in that path. You will recall that together with friends of mine we hosted a very special mid summer’s night fairy supper for Aimee – ever the optimist we plan to hold another dinner on the night of the winter soltice – hopefully we will be home in Dundee by then.

As ever David and Myrea and fairy friends, sincere and grateful thanks for all your love and support

Rosie and Aimee