Millie Smith and Lewis Cann were thrilled to learn they were expecting twins. But joy turned to heartbreak when doctors discovered that one baby had anencephaly, a fatal condition. They named her Skye, knowing she would only live briefly. Skye lived for just three hours, a time her parents cherished deeply.
After her passing, Millie noticed that people stopped acknowledging Skye’s existence, which made her feel isolated. One day, another parent joked that Millie was “lucky not to have twins,” unaware of her loss.
That painful moment inspired Millie to create the purple butterfly sticker—a gentle symbol placed on incubators to indicate the loss of one or more babies in a set of multiples.
The butterfly, in purple to be gender-neutral, now helps other grieving families feel seen and understood. Millie’s idea has since grown into the Skye High Foundation, spreading compassion and awareness across hospitals worldwide.
