Just weeks after Millie Smith and Lewis Cann learned they were expecting identical twin girls, they were told only one would survive.
On April 30, after a high-risk 30-week pregnancy, Millie gave birth to Callie and Skye. Skye, born with anencephaly—a fatal condition where parts of the brain and skull are missing—lived for just three precious hours.
In the NICU, Callie was placed among other newborns. One day, another mom joked that Millie was “lucky” to have only one baby, unaware of her loss. Heartbroken, Millie realized how easily such pain could be avoided.
She created the purple butterfly symbol—a small sticker placed on incubators to show that one or more babies in a set of multiples has passed away. “I chose butterflies to remember the babies that flew away, and purple because it suits both boys and girls,” Millie said.
The Purple Butterfly Project, now part of the Skye High Foundation, has spread to hospitals worldwide, helping families and staff show compassion and understanding for parents grieving a loss.
Today, Callie is a happy seven-year-old, and Skye’s memory lives on through purple butterflies—on cards, blankets, and keepsakes that honor babies gone too soon.
💜 Please share so others know what a purple butterfly beside a newborn means.
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