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.
BARBRA STREISAND’S 11-YEAR HOME HUNT: THE ULTIMATE DREAM HOUSE THAT CEMENTED HER 26-YEAR MARRIAGE
Barbra Streisand and her husband, James Brolin, are celebrating 26 years of marriage in the home where their love story truly came together. The journey to acquiring their dream home was anything but simple—it took them 11 years to finally buy it.
At 82, Barbra Streisand, the legendary performer, and her 83-year-old actor husband, James Brolin, have enjoyed many years of happiness in their beloved home. The couple, along with their dogs, have created countless memories there. Their dedication and perseverance paid off, making their home a symbol of their enduring love and commitment.
Barbra Streisand first laid eyes on the house when she was living nearby. At the time, she couldn’t make the purchase because her boyfriend didn’t like it, and she also wasn’t able to afford it.
Now, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin live in the dream home that took 11 years to buy. They recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary on July 1 in this special place. Streisand shared a sweet photo on Instagram, showing the couple in a side embrace. Her caption read, “28 years today since we met honey… and 26 years today since we married! Love you.
Their Maltese poodles, Scarlet, Violet, and Fanny, are clearly a cherished part of their family. Streisand’s Instagram posts of their birthdays must be adorable! It sounds like their home is filled with love and joy.
In 1984, while living on a ranch down the road, Barbra Streisand first laid eyes on her dream home. At the time, she wasn’t thrilled with her current house, so her real estate broker showed her a place closer to the ocean. This home would later become the one she and James Brolin would spend many cherished years in, despite the long journey to finally owning it.
Streisand noted that the house’s facade wasn’t particularly impressive, describing it as modern gray and somewhat like a “contraption.” However, upon entering, she was pleasantly surprised by its “rustic charm,” which won her over despite its outward appearance.
The Broadway star fell in love with the house right away and wanted to buy it. However, it wasn’t possible at that time, and she had to wait several more years before she could finally make it her home.
At that time, Streisand owned the ranch she had been staying on. Her manager advised her that she wouldn’t be able to afford the dream home until she sold the ranch.
Streisand also revealed that her boyfriend at the time thought the house was too close to the cliff where it was situated. She decided not to purchase it, but she admitted, “I was so forlorn when I found out that it was sold to someone else, and they had started renovating it.”
Streisand’s affection for the house didn’t diminish over time. In fact, she continued to dream about it and couldn’t shake the feeling of longing. She admitted that she had a deep emotional connection to the home she couldn’t buy.
However, some years later, her luck turned around when the couple who owned the house kept her in mind as they got ready to move.
Years later, Streisand’s luck changed. The couple who owned the house remembered her as they prepared to move out, and this gave her another chance at the dream home she had always wanted.
Barbra Streisand was so in love with her dream house that she bought a home one house away just to be close to it. She even became friends with the elderly couple living between her current home and the dream house.
When the couple moved away, Streisand bought their house too. She planned to combine both properties into one large house on the two-acre land.
Finally, fate was on her side. The couple who owned her dream home divorced and lowered the price. Streisand was able to buy the house in 1995 and was thrilled. She was relieved not to have to build a new house or deal with lots of details.
Since then, Streisand has turned her dream home into a beautiful place, celebrating its craftsmanship and making it a special part of her life for nearly 30 years.
The house is set on a big piece of land with beautiful green lawns. An aerial view shows the spacious garden and the pool in front of the house, which faces the ocean. The driveway is located at the back of the house.
To design the interior of her home, Streisand looked at many books and drew inspiration from things she saw while traveling. She really enjoyed this process.
She also added streams to the landscape because she finds water very calming. Streisand wanted a barn because she loves how they are a key part of American culture. Inside her barn, she has hens that lay green eggs.
Streisand and Brolin met in 1996 when they were 54 and 56 years old. Both had children from previous marriages and blended their families together. They got married two years after they first met.
Now that they’ve been married for 26 years and their kids are grown and out of the house, Streisand and Brolin are enjoying a new phase in their lives: being grandparents.
Streisand and Brolin have grandchildren from their adult children, and they always welcome them to spend time in their loving home.
Leave a Reply