Millie Smith and Lewis Cann were overjoyed when they found out they were going to have a baby. Millie had a feeling that she might be carrying twins because there were already many twins in their family. It turns out her motherly intuition was correct.
The ultrasound confirmed that she was pregnant with twins, but the doctors were aware from the beginning that one of the babies had a slim chance of survival.
The parents received news that their daughter, who was born prematurely at thirty weeks, had anencephaly. This condition is a severe disorder where the fetal nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, does not develop properly and is ultimately fatal.
The parents were told that their joyful child had very little time left to live, only a matter of minutes or hours.
Before parting ways, her parents decided to name her Skye. They wanted to choose a name for her before saying goodbye to each other.
Millie explained that it was important for Skye to have a name even before she was born. She knew that Skye’s life would be very short, lasting only a few seconds or minutes, so she wanted to ensure that Skye was given a name during that brief period.
She clarified that the name “Skye” represented a place where they believed their baby would always be, a reminder that they could gaze at the sky and think of her.
Skye was in our arms when she left us. It was the saddest moment we’ve ever experienced. I’ve never felt such deep sadness before. I’m glad she fought so hard to be with us for as long as she could.
Skye’s life lasted just three hours, during which her parents cherished her beauty and cherished her presence in their lives.
After she died, the couple received support from a special midwife and were given access to a room called the “Daisy Room.” This room allows parents to spend time with their baby before and after the baby’s passing, providing comfort during this difficult time.
After the girl left, nobody mentioned her again. Millie believed that her baby was completely forgotten, which angered her.
The grieving mother remembered how the nurses knew about Skye’s situation at first, but eventually, everyone stopped discussing it.
Millie had recently given birth to a baby named Callie, who was still in the NICU. While Millie was talking to another mother who had just had twins, this mother unknowingly expressed how fortunate Millie was to not have twins, unaware of the pain and loss Millie had experienced.
The other parents were unaware of Skye’s situation. The innocent comment was made in jest. They didn’t realize that I once had two children. Millie was deeply affected by the comment, causing her to run out of the room in tears. The parents were left puzzled as to why she reacted that way. Millie couldn’t bring herself to explain the situation to them. A simple sticker could have prevented the misunderstanding.
Millie thought of a way to show that one or more babies were lost in a set of multiples by placing a sticker on the incubator.
She explained that she selected butterflies because they symbolize the babies that have passed away, and she chose the color purple as it is appropriate for both boys and girls.
The Skye High Foundation, which was born from her initial efforts, now aids the purple butterfly initiative. It has successfully introduced this concept to numerous hospitals across various countries.
The collection of purple butterfly items consists of a range of presents and add-ons.
Millie expressed that although she cannot prevent this occurrence entirely, establishing additional support groups and implementing measures like stickers will greatly improve the situation. She acknowledged that it is an incredibly challenging situation for anyone to face.
Callie, her second daughter, is now seven years old.
