Pauline Robinson Bush

Pauline Robinson Bush (December 20, 1949 – October 11, 1953), commonly known as Robin Bush, was the second child and first daughter of the 41st president of the United States, George H. W. Bush, and his wife, First Lady Barbara Bush.

After she was born in California, her family soon relocated to Texas, where Robin lived most of her life.

At the age of three, Robin was diagnosed with advanced leukemia.

As she was given very little time to live, her parents flew her to New York City for treatment, where she spent the next six months.

Despite doctors' efforts, she died at the age of 3 years, 9 months.

Her death prompted them to establish a foundation for leukemia research.

Then an oil field equipment salesman for Dresser Industries, George H. W. Bush lived in various places around the United States with his wife, Barbara (née Pierce), and their young son, George W. In 1949, they moved to Compton, California; by then, Barbara was pregnant with the couple's second child.

On September 23, 1949, Pauline Robinson Pierce, Barbara's mother, was killed in a car accident, which also injured her father, Marvin.

Since she was very late into the pregnancy, Marvin advised Barbara not to make the journey to New York, so as not to hurt the baby.

On December 20, 1949, Barbara delivered a baby girl, whom she named Pauline Robinson Bush, after her late mother.

Initially, the child's intended name was Pauline Pierce Bush, until George H. W.'s mother pointed out that her initials would be P. P. Bush, which "would never do".

From birth, the little girl was referred to as Robin, so much so that, later in life, Barbara would comment that Robin's siblings probably do not even remember her real name.

Robin was described as being calm and having a "sweet soul".

She was "quiet and gentle, and she had lovely little blond curls."

Her father would later say of Robin: "She'd fight and cry and play and make her way just like the rest, but there was about her a certain softness... Her peace made me feel strong, and so very important."

In 1950, shortly after Robin's birth, the family relocated again, this time to Midland, Texas; the family quickly became involved in their new town.

Neither parent had ever heard of leukemia, and, in the 1950s, not much was known of it; consequently, it was nearly always fatal.

The Bushes went against both parts of the doctor's advice.

Almost immediately, their friends from the country club were discussing Robin's diagnosis, and George called his uncle, John M. Walker, president of Memorial Hospital in New York City.

Walker urged them to take Robin to the adjacent Sloan Kettering Institute.

He told George and Barbara that "you could never live with yourselves unless you treat her."

The very next day, leaving George W. and Jeb with different friends, they both flew to New York and had Robin admitted into Sloan Kettering.

She was tested once again, and, after the diagnosis was confirmed, she was immediately put on medication.

George W. was told that his sister was sick, but was never explained exactly how bad her condition was.

For the next six months, Barbara largely remained in New York with Robin, while George traveled back and forth, due to his job.

Their two sons were cared for either by family friends or by housekeepers.

Robin was, by her mother's account, "wonderful", not questioning why she was sick.

She disliked bone marrow tests, which were very painful, as were many of the blood transfusions she endured.

At times, the medication was so effective that Robin did not even appear to be ill.

However, she never went into complete remission.

According to Charlotte Tan, who treated Robin in New York, she was mature and tolerated her treatments well.

Barbara and George heard about a doctor in Kansas City who maintained he had found the cure for leukemia.

However, their hopes were dashed when they found out the man was merely testing a new drug, and had not claimed to have the cure.

In February 1953, after having moved to their third house in Midland, the Bushes had another child, John Ellis, nicknamed "Jeb".

In the spring of 1953, shortly after Jeb's birth, Robin awoke one morning, listless.

She said she was unsure of what to do that particular morning, stating that she "may go out and lie on the grass and watch the cars go by", or just stay in bed.

Barbara believed Robin had come down with what her mother had referred to as "spring fever," as, up until that point, she had been "as rowdy and healthy" as her brothers.

The child was taken to the family's pediatrician, Dorothy Wyvell, who took a blood sample and told Barbara to return later that afternoon with George H. W.; Barbara had not yet noticed the bruises on Robin.

Dr. Wyvell told George and Barbara that Robin had advanced stage leukemia.

Her advice for them was to not tell anyone about the child's illness, and to take her home, "make life as easy as possible for her, and in three weeks' time, she'll be gone."