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

To all fairy friends of Aimee

You are right to call this wonderful circle ‘A Special Fairy Ring’ – I hope it becomes evermore inclusive

It has certainly touched our lives in a ways that I would not have been able to imagine – Aimee holds her part of the silver thread that connects you all – for my part I feel an honoured guest.

Alongside Aimee’s own reiki I have had some truly remarkable healing experiences myself in recent months – we are blessed to have met a gifted reiki master who has opened the way for healing for all the family and has brought some awareness of reiki to parents on the children’s ward where Aimee is being cared for. He has also taught us some chi exercises to help us keep our own connection with the universal energy – I feel a huge benefit from them and regularly do them with Aimee.

Aimee’s progress post transplant has been quite outstanding – she has positively broken every expectation that the medical staff had of caring for children pre and post transplant – it seems to me that whatever “book” Aimee is following in her recovery – it is quite different from the one the rest of us are using

Yesterday – only four weeks after her transplant she was allowed home for the afternoon – something I had been led to believe might otherwise have taken up to four months to achieve – it was a joy having her close again – even although she left her socks, shoes, coat, hat etc in a trail along the floor and quite soon thereafter the flat was full of noisy game playing.

She still has a long way to go – and there will be further difficulties to overcome I am sure – but looking at Aimee yesterday I saw my little girl again as she was at Christmas before she had her relapse. Having a bone marrow transplant was the last thing I ever wanted for her.- We will never be free of the leukaemia for its consequences will stay with us throughout our lives and we will live our lives differently that they might otherwise have been.

The greatest gift from Aimee’s Leukaemia – if there is one to be found – is the gift of friendship – for all the simple acts that take a moment to create – they create a magic that lasts a life time.

Our family has been in many dark and lonely places over the last few months – we are not yet in the full rays of the sun but there is without doubt great warmth from the affection that we have received and more light than we might have once believed possible.

To all of you for your prayers, thoughts, paintings and gifts of hope and encouragement, for sharing your reiki experiences with Aimee myself and our family – I hope you can share these precious moments and joy that you have wished for us.

love and light

from Rosie and Aimee

Letter to Fairies World® from Rosie (Aimee’s Mum)

I had not realised when I began to share Aimee’s story with you at Fairies World that my words would touch so many people in such a profound way – it is only one account of living with childhood leukaemia – sadly there will be thousands more around the world – perhaps hearing how you have all rallied around Aimee will help others to see how they can help sick children that they know off
The internet when it works for something like this is a powerful bridge
of communication and understanding

6th September 2004
Dear Friends

Just over three weeks after her bone marrow transplant Aimee is now well enough to move on from the sacred and special fairy den which we created for her in the lamina flow area of the Schiehallion Ward in Yorkhill Hospital

She has been remarkably well throughout given everything that has been thrown at her pre and post transplant and has experienced only a little of the side effects of the treatment that had been expected. She has continued to eat and drink a little and has been spared serious infection.

We kept the reiki sessions going through out and have learned a few tai chi movements to give her a gentle exercise along the way The staff have been delighted and astounded at her progress and a bone marrow test yesterday confirmed that there are a lot of cells circulating in her marrow. She still has a way to go and the next set of tasks involve keeping her infection free, moving her onto oral medicines and getting to our first trip out on pass – what a day that will be.

Her new room continues the fairy theme, this time we have focused on creating a bedroom in a fairy castle where it is very comforting to have all our fairies around us and where light and colour are important elements.

We continue to be grateful to so many folk at home and around the world who hold Aimee close in their hearts, thoughts and prayers – there are so many very ill children on the ward we hope sincerely that they too and their families are as fortunate.

Aimee – little miss mischievous – is now developing new ways burning of the gleeful energy that has gathered around – in her latest venture she is quizzing all the nurses with geography questions from a wonderful pop-up book of the world

We look forward very much to our first trip out which we hope is not so far away now

Sincere and grateful thanks
Rosie Butler – Aimee’s Mum

12th August 2004A very special day for Aimee yesterday as she received her bone marrow transplant at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow

Since August 4th Aimee has been preparing for the transplant with chemotherapy and radiotherapy – apart from only a handful of occasions Aimee was really quite well going into the transplant. In fact at one point we had to remind her that she was supposed to be ill.

Our idea of transforming her lamina flow room into secret fairy den was such a success that she couldn’t wait to get into it.

For all it’s medical paraphernalia it has a peaceful room which is full of fairies – the most gracious of which is the Healing Fairy so kindly gifted to Aimee from Robert Gould from the world of Brian and Wendy Froud – it really does set the scene beautifully with various fairies and pixies at her feet. To say that Aimee loves it hardly describes how much Aimee loves it.

The transplant itself took place last night and passed off without incident. Aimee had a peaceful and undisturbed night too. We now wait for the marrow to find its new home and settle in – hopefully with minimal ill-effects. It was quite a moving sight to see the marrow gifted to Aimee and to think that some one somewhere has the potential to give her a new life. Whoever that very special person is their selfless act is one that I hope Aimee has the opportunity to say thank you to in person in the days ahead.

Thank you for all the love and support you have shown Aimee – it truly helps us all

Sincere and grateful thanks
Rosie Butler – Aimee’s Mum

20th July 2004

From Rosie Butler (Aimee’s Mum)

I’m not sure how much you know of the many acts of kindness of the artists of Water Colour Fairies have brought to my daughter nine year old Aimee throughout the past six months as she fought against the leukaemia which has blighted her young life since the age of five. It is a wonderful tribute to Aimee’s deep and abiding love of fairies that this new book should be dedicated to her, and sincere and grateful thanks are due to David and Myrea for taking Aimee under their wings at a time when she was very seriously ill and fighting against the odds.

David kindly gifted Aimee the Art of Faery book shortly after she was unexpectedly and suddenly diagnosed with a relapse in January this year. The months of January, February and March were particularly dark. To help cheer Aimee David asked his fairy artist friends if they could help send fairy kisses and fairy pictures to Aimee – it was the start of a most amazing response from around the world and we regard these wonderful people as dear friends who we keep in touch with to update them on Aimee’s progress. Without their inspiring gifts and their constant love and support Aimee’s light would have been much dimmed over this difficult time.

Although we succeeded in getting Aimee’s leukaemia into remission a second time we suffered a double blow with the news that Aimee needed to a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible to have a real chance of beating the disease but that at the same time she had a very rare tissue type and with no match within the family she had a one in a million chance of finding a match. Miraculously and against these incredible odds a donor has been found for Aimee and she will start the transplant process on August 4th 2004

I would like to say thank you to those people who are regular blood donors and help people to think about being a bone marrow donor – just as David has done for us on Aimee’s web page on his fairiesworld website.

We thank God for that one very special person who has the potential to give Aimee a new life and also had the knowledge and the motivation to become a bone marrow donor and would wish with all our hearts that families in a similar situation with a dearly loved family member – whether this is child or adult – has a same chance.

If you want to write or send messages of encouragement to Aimee the address is

York Hill Children’s Hospital
Schehallion Ward,
Dalnair Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8SJ Rosie Butler

8th July 2004From Rosie – Aimee’s mother:

Aimee had a fabulous day – she arrived at her party in style in a limo and among her many friends was greeted by a Roman Centurion Soldier and Wizard

She partied the afternoon away only needing to rest at the last minute.

Aimee is a bright spirit and with the help of reiki she is keeping strong. Light and love permitting we will see her through the other side cleansed, renewed and ready to enjoy life again

Aimee received a special poem from Albert E Gazeley in Hong Kong
Please click here to read the poem

Rosie

Latest News
7th July 2004Dear Myrea and David

Well Sunday was Aimee’s 9th Birthday held at the Swallow Hotel in Dundee.

I was their to escort Aimee along with Mr Jasper, as her Roman Bodyguard when she arrived in her large limo; All went well, Aimee coped fine, she managed to eat, drink and be very Merry bless her, she was also quite a little dancer on the floor to the music.

We delivered mail & the many gifts from around the world that arrived here, please thank everyone, Cards are still coming today.

We are going to have dinner with Aimee’s Mum and Dad soon.

Best wishes
John & Rosemary

7th June 2004 Dear Friends

Unexpectedly we had news last week (7 June) that a donor had been found for Aimee. With no match in the family and a rare tissue type giving her a one in a million chance of finding a match we were stunned that in only eight weeks doctors had found a 9/10 match which greatly increases her chances of getting through the immediate post transplant period – Aimee is delighted with the news

There are still very difficult days ahead but at least there is a path to follow now – it is hoped that things will kick off after her birthday on July 4th – with the transplant scheduled for July 15th – the first 4/5 weeks will be the most critical for her – we all hope and pray that she finds the strength and will to get through to the better days ahead

To everyone who has taken an interest sending messages of support, good wishes and your prayers for Aimee’s well being, your kindness is inspirational and helps us to face the challenge of each day and gives strength to the little patient.

I still don’t have Aimee’s new hospital address details but should you wish to write to her please use

Aimee Butler
c/o John Richardson
29 Letham Rise
Dalgety Bay
Fife
KY11 9FW
Scotland

Thank you so much.

Rosie Butler – Aimee’s mum

May 31st 2004

To Aimee from the many Fairy Artists from around the World who have been touched by the story of your special love of fairies you have a special place in our hearts that our wishes may come true for you, as well as your wishes too.

Meet Aimee Butler – a very special friend to the fairies.

Aimee is suffering from leukaemia for the second time in her young life.
(please read the letter to all fairy believers and artists from Aimee’s mother below)

Aimee is a true believer in fairies and her love of fairy folklore fills her world. Together with her brother older Leigh, Aimee enjoys all kind of magical books, games and films from the tales of Han Christian Anderson to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy with its own stunning artworks.

Thank you to Aimee’s honorary grandparents John and Rosemary Richardson who told us about Aimee and to Aimee’s Mum for all her letters to us.

Letter from Aimee’s mother

Bringing Magic into Aimee’s Life

Aimee is fighting leukaemia for the second time in her young life. The disease acute lymphoblastic leukaemia the most common type of childhood leukaemia – first reared its head in 2000 when she was just five. Following two and half years of gruelling chemotherapy and almost a year off treatment, Aimee and her family thought the disease was finally behind them. They had celebrated the best Christmas that the family had enjoyed for some time, when they were devastated with the news a few days later at the beginning of 2004 that the leukaemia had came back.

In a tribute to fairies world Aimee’s mum Rosie said: “Without the love and continuing support of David and Myrea at Fairies World, and their many artists friends and supporters Aimee” spirit would have greatly dimmed over the last weeks and months. After David’s call to help send Aimee fairy kisses and fairy pictures to cheer her throughout the long days of treatment and recovery our house is filled with fairy pictures and figures. If you pause for a second you can almost feel the beat of fairy wings on your cheek.

While treating childhood leukaemia is considered one of cancers great success stories with cure rates of up to 85%, doctors are still trying to understand why one in four children with the disease will suffer a relapse. Children like Aimee, who relapse, face a tough time in trying to beat the disease a second time, either through more years of chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant.
With a rare tissue type Aimee still needs to find a bone marrow donor before a transplant can take place.

Aimee has courageously fought the disease through 18 weeks of aggressive chemotherapy and its side effects to bring the disease under sufficient control to give a bone marrow transplant the chance of success. Vulnerability to infection during the chemotherapy places an added burden of the immune system and Aimee has also fought against various infections including pneumonia, chicken pox and a tummy bug.

Throughout her illness Aimee has also depended on regular blood and platelet transfusions to offset the effects of the leukaemia and the side effects of the chemotherapy. It is likely that blood donors who subsequently opt to become bone marrow donors could hold the key to finding a match for Aimee and hundreds like her adults and children – who battle this terrible disease.

As medical staff repeatedly search some 50 bone marrow registers around the world for a potential bone marrow match Aimee’s mother, Rosie Butler, has approached the Scottish National Blood Bank to explore further ways of helping Aimee.

As a result of these discussions with staff in the Scottish National Blood Bank Aimee’s plight in searching for a bone marrow donor is set to become a feature of National Blood Donor week which runs in Scotland from Monday June 8th. A local campaign to encourage blood donors to consider becoming bone marrow donors will also be launched with a possibility of rolling the campaign across Scotland.

In the meantime Aimee is undergoing regular chemotherapy to keep the disease at bay until a bone marrow transplant can be performed.

If anyone who is touched by Aimee’s story and they want to help her and other youngsters like her Rosie asks that you get in touch with your local blood bank and find out about becoming a blood donor and possibly a bone marrow donor.

Rosie Butler