MELANIE KATE BUTLIEN

a daughter of Barry and Robyn Butlien of Somers, NY, passed away Tuesday night after a courageous six month battle with leukemia. Melanie was just 8 months old. Melanie was diagnosed in December 2000 when she was only 9 weeks old. She received chemotherapy treatment at Babies and Children's Hospital at Columbia Presbyterian in New York. Although the cancer did go into remission, it was determined that Melanie had a rare chromosomal disorder that predisposed her for relapse. On March 2, 2001, her family traveled to Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina where Melanie would undergo an unrelated umbilical cord transplant. Although the transplant was successful at first, complications arose. Melanie spent much of her time in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit until she died in her parents arms this week. Melanie's fight touched the lives of many, through the website her parents set up, daily journal entries told friends and family around the world how Melanie was doing. She will be missed by all who knew her and knew of her. Melanie is remembered by her parents, her brother AJ, her grandparents Natalie Butlien and the late Arthur Butlien of New Rochelle and Bert and Suzanne Brande of White Plains, and all of the family, friends and perfect strangers who followed her journey. Services Friday on June 15, at 10am at Westchester Reform Temple, 255 Mamaroneck Rd., Scarsdale, NY. Contributions in her memory may be made to Melanie's Dolphin Fund, to benefit children in need of bone marrow transplants in c/o Barry Butlien, Allmerica Financial, 200 White Plains Rd., 2nd floor, Tarrytown, NY 10591. The family will observe a period of mourning, Saturday 7-9pm and Sunday 1-5pm HELLMAN-GARLICK MEMORIAL CHAPEL 1300 Pleasantville Rd, Briarcliff Manor (914)762-5501