Award for young leukaemia patient

by Denise Glass
Tayside Reporter, BBC Scotland news website

Aimee received her award from CBBC's Raven

Having cancer is a lot for a young child to deal with - there's gruelling medical treatment, long hospital visits, time away from friends, and having to miss a large amount of school.

But one 12-year-old girl from Dundee has been using the power of fairies to help Scotland's sick children, by creating "Fairy Boxes".

And Aimee Butler's bravery in battling leukaemia and her determination to support others has just been recognised with a Little Star award from Cancer Research UK.

Fairy Boxes are wooden boxes which are filled with toys, games and books for patients on children's wards to use.

Aimee told the BBC Scotland news website how the idea for the boxes came out.

"I've had leukaemia a couple of times now, but when it came back a second time I was very unwell," she said.

"My mum put out a letter to a fairy artist asking if he could get his friends to send me out just a couple of cards, within two days they were flooding in.

"What surprised me the most was how many adults still believe in fairies.

"It's the concept of an enchanted world and I think they're still trying to access the magic from when they were younger.

"It's essentially a gift box, and when a child is ill in hospital if they're really upset, it's just a small thing to cheer them up."

Aimee was just five years old when she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Aimee's brother was also given an award for all his support

She had to take a lot of time off school, but is now back part-time at Rosebank Primary and will soon head to Harris Academy.

Her fellow primary seven pupils at Rosebank have been refurbishing one of the Fairy Boxes that had been at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and it will now go to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Collecting the gifts and handing Aimee her Little Star award was James Mackenzie - also known as CBBC's "Raven".

He said: "Hospitals are not fun places to be, especially when you are very ill and you're away from your family and away from your parents.

"It's good to have fantastic books and toys to play with and things to help relax you and make it fun and remind you that everything will hopefully be okay.

"I've known Aimee for a few years now and she is a little star.

"She's only a small child in the grand scheme of things and to have to face such a devastating and difficult disease, she's just been amazing, so brave, and she deserves every little star there is."

Family Support

Aimee's 19-year-old brother Leigh was also handed a Little Star award.

Mother, Rosie Butler, said she is proud of them both.

She said: "Leigh is her favourite big brother, he's always been there, and sometimes he's got to set aside what a boy of his age would be doing in order to spend time with Aimee, while she's been going through treatment.

"You know it's just being there and being part of a close family and providing support."