When Millie Smith and Lewis Cann found out they were expecting a baby, they were overjoyed. As there was a history of twins in Millie’s family, she had a strong feeling that she was going to give birth to two little ones, and her instincts were right. The ultrasound confirmed that she was indeed expecting twins, but the doctors told them that one of the babies had a very small chance of survival.
ragically, one of their daughters was born at 30 weeks with anencephaly, a serious condition that affects the development of the brain and spinal cord. They learned that their precious baby had only moments or hours to live.
Knowing this, Millie and Lewis wanted to give her a name before they said goodbye. They chose the name Skye. Millie explained: “We felt she needed a name before she arrived. Knowing she wouldn’t be with us for long, I wanted her to have a name in those fleeting moments”.
The name “Skye” symbolized a connection to a place they could always remember when they looked up to the sky. “We held Skye close as she died. It was the most heartbreaking moment of our lives, but I’m proud that she fought to spend that time with us.” Skye only lived for three hours, a brief time filled with love while her parents cherished her beauty and presence.
After her death, Millie and Lewis were supported by a “bereavement midwife” and given access to a “Daisy Room”, a special room where parents could spend time with their baby before and after death. However, after Skye was gone, her memory seemed to fade; no one spoke of her, leaving Millie feeling like her daughter had never existed, which made her angry.
“Most of the nurses knew what had happened, but as the weeks went by, people stopped mentioning Skye. Other families around me had no idea about our loss”, Millie recalls.
While her other daughter, Callie, was still in the NICU, another mother who knew nothing about Millie’s situation remarked how lucky she was not to have twins. “None of the other parents knew about Skye, and that innocent comment almost broke me. I left the room in tears but didn’t have the heart to explain”, Millie said. “A simple sticker could have prevented this.”
This experience inspired Millie to design a sticker for incubators to mark the loss of one or more babies in a multiple birth. She chose butterflies to symbolise the ‘flown away’ babies and used the colour purple, which is suitable for any gender.
From this idea grew the Skye High Foundation, which promotes the Purple Butterflies initiative and helps raise awareness in hospitals around the world. The foundation also offers a range of purple butterfly merchandise.
“Although I can’t prevent these situations from occurring, I believe the more support we can provide through initiatives like the stickers, the better it will be for others who suffer this loss. It’s an incredibly tough journey”, said Millie. Today, her surviving daughter Callie is seven years old.
Emergency services rush to 89-year-old Brigette Bardot’s aid… prayers needed
Brigitte Bardot is perhaps one of the most well-known names in the world. She started her career as a model in the 1950s, and today she works as an activist. The 88-year-old former actress and model resides in the South of France.
According to recent reports, emergency services rushed to her home to aid her…
Birgitte Bardot first gained notoriety as an actress and a model beginning in 1952. She soon became an icon and turned into one of the most iconic pop culture sex symbols of the ’50s and ’60s.
She was known for playing roles that showcased sexually liberated women who lived on the wild side.
The actress, however, retired from acting and modeling in 1973 and focused her energies instead on becoming an activist. Her main area of activism is animal protection and welfare. She, however, came under fire for racist remarks and homophobic comments she made in her own autobiography.
The 88-year-old French film icon is married to husband Bernard d’Ormale. It was her husband d’Ormale who spoke to the media and confirmed the health scare Bardot suffered.
“It was around 9 a.m. when Brigitte had trouble breathing,” d’Ormale said. “It was harder than usual but she didn’t lose consciousness. Let’s call it a moment of respiratory distraction.”
He explained, “The firefighters arrived, gave her oxygen to breathe and stayed for a moment to watch her.” He told the outlet the firefighters arrival was slightly delayed because they had initially went to the wrong address before arriving at the correct one.
The reason behind her breathing issues according to d’Ormale was the heat. He said, “Like all people of a certain age, she can no longer bear the heat.”
“It happens at 88, she must not make unnecessary efforts,” he continued. “Her pulse is fine, her heart too and her blood pressure is good, but things remain fragile.”
The actress apparently has been complaining of the heat in their home and that the airconditioning is not enough. Her husband said their air conditioning “is not very strong at home.”
We are glad to know that Brigette Bardot is doing well. Share this piece with other fans of the former actress so they can know she is doing better as well.
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