Aimee is making good steady progress and we have had lots of adventures Through many good and kind friends we had a wonderful trip to Belgium – Aimee of course travelled in disguise hence the butterfly mask, and a enjoyed a wonderful week of magic at a Scottish castle where she lost herself for two days amongst the constant round of magic and made even more special friends

Brother Leigh spent his first long spell away from home with a stint at the Scottish Youth Theatre in Glasgow where he is taking part in a series of plays to mark Hans Christian Anderson’s 200th birthday – more fairy magic and is off to do some comedy at the Edinburgh Festival shortly

Aimee celebrated her 10th party at the Swallow Hotel again under the magical command of our dear friends Jay and Lisa

We also started a fund raising campaign to help keep the fairy magic going for other children in Hospital and even made a TV appearance to mark the arrival of our Fairy Box at Ninewells Hospital Dundee this is the web link – http://northtonight.grampiantv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=6912

It is almost a year now (August 12) since Aimee had her bone marrow transplant – a difficult journey for all of us made all the more bearable because of the love and support we have all received from you

Aimee is a beautiful, lively, mischievous, and tender young girl. The magic which you all brought to us has had a big impact on all our lives – we will be forever grateful

Light and love

Rosie and Aimee
xx

Myrea Pettit and David Riché fly to Sweden to launch their two latest books 500 Fairy Motifs and The World of Faery. It was Ann Mari Sjogren, now 88 years old that was the greatest influence on Myreas artistic skills and career, her first book being published in 1945 it was a privilege to include her work in these new publications, to add to the excitement Wenche Skondal another artist living in Gothenberg whose work is also featured in these new books came and joined the launch party. 

Dear fairy friends and supporters

The Easter Bunny has duly delivered some scrumy chocolate to the Butler household but more importantly the fairy dust and fairy magic continues in abundance. Aimee thought she would surprise her dad on his birthday by sprinkling some fairy dust in his bed – however since she can’t spell “little” and has no idea what the word means, her daddy sparkled for days until it all wore off.

She is making slow and steady progress and we hope that after the Easter holidays she will be able to go back to school on a part-time basis.

A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed a short break in London where we went to see the Lion King and the new Mary Poppins show and went on the London Eye. It was lovely spring weather and although it was exhausting it was well worth the trip. A magical moment along the way was Aimee being serenaded by the Elvis Presley Cleaning Company with “wont you be my teddy bear?” as she had lunch in the hotel.

We are making good progress with the fairy box idea for children on the Schiehallion Ward at Yorkhill – thank you to all of you who have contribued to its success.

We have come such a long way from this time last year – each day is precious and to be savoured.

light and love
Rosie and Aimee

Dear Fairy Friends It feels like Christmas all over again, even down to the snow which surrounds us this morning. Six months to the day after Aimee’s bone marrow transplant we are at home and at last beginning to feel that we are truly home. After some worrying weeks caused by Aimee’s falling blood counts, she seems to have turned another most welcome corner in her epic journey. While others may have circumnavigated the world in record time, our Aimee keeps on in her journey because in her own words “she wants to win against her leukaemia more that her leukaemia wants to win against her” To celebrate this important milestone our fairy princess resplendent in fairy gown, crown, silver bracelet and sequined slippers dressed early spent the day building complex structures in the knex construction kit something of a contradiction in terms you might think. But no, just another example of the sheer focus and determination that has seen her through the last fourteen months. The family celebrated with a family dinner more than touched with a hint of valentines day which is just around the corner. We are blessed that Aimee is part of our family, that she and her brother Leigh are such firm friends and supporters of each other . And we are blessed to have reached this milestone with the love and support of some many people close to us at home and close to us at heart despite being a world away Happy Valentines Day Light and love Rosie and Aimee xxoo

Aimee 8th November 2004

Image courtesy of and Copyright© 2004 Evening Times

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

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