At first glance, it may look like a simple decorative sticker gently placed on the side of a newborn’s incubator.
Visitors passing through the neonatal intensive care unit might barely notice it, and those who do might assume it is just a small decorative symbol meant to brighten the hospital room or bring a little color into an otherwise clinical environment.
But for the families who understand its meaning, that small purple butterfly carries a story that is far deeper and more emotional than it appears. Hidden behind that quiet symbol is a powerful story of love, loss, and remembrance.
It represents a heartbreaking reality that many parents experience but that few people ever see or fully understand—the silent grief of welcoming a baby into the world while at the same time saying goodbye to another.
Hospitals are places where joy and heartbreak often exist side by side. In maternity wards and neonatal intensive care units, parents celebrate the arrival of new life, while others quietly cope with unimaginable loss. The same hallway may carry the sound of newborn cries and joyful laughter while, just a few rooms away, another family sits in silence processing grief.
For families experiencing the loss of a baby, especially in the case of twins or multiple births, the emotional complexity can be overwhelming. One small symbol—the purple butterfly sticker—has become a powerful way to acknowledge that hidden grief and protect grieving families from painful misunderstandings that might otherwise occur.
The idea behind the purple butterfly initiative began with a deeply personal story of loss experienced by a young British couple whose lives were forever changed after the birth of their twin daughters. Their experience, though incredibly painful, eventually inspired a movement that would spread to hospitals around the world.
Millie Smith and her partner Lewis Cann were filled with excitement when they discovered they were expecting their first child. In November 2015, the couple learned that Millie was pregnant, and like many first-time parents, they began imagining the future—decorating a nursery, choosing names, and dreaming about the life that awaited their growing family. Their happiness only grew stronger when they discovered that they were not expecting just one baby, but twins.
Millie later explained that she had always suspected she might have twins. Several sets of twins already existed within her extended family, and she had often joked that it might happen to her as well. When the ultrasound confirmed that there were two babies growing inside her, she felt a mixture of surprise and joy.
However, their happiness soon became mixed with devastating news.
Less than two weeks after learning about the twin pregnancy, doctors discovered that one of the babies had a severe and fatal medical condition known as anencephaly. This rare birth defect occurs when major portions of the brain and skull fail to develop during pregnancy. It develops very early in fetal development, often before a mother even knows she is pregnant.
Medical statistics indicate that approximately one in 4,600 babies in the United States are born with this condition. Tragically, infants with anencephaly typically survive only a short time after birth, sometimes only minutes or hours.
For Millie and Lewis, the diagnosis meant they would soon face a heartbreaking reality—one of their daughters would almost certainly die shortly after being born.
The news was devastating, and the couple was forced to process emotions that few expectant parents ever imagine facing. Instead of simply preparing for the joyful arrival of two babies, they had to prepare themselves emotionally for both birth and loss at the same time.
Despite the devastating prognosis, the couple made the difficult decision to continue the pregnancy. They wanted to give both of their daughters every possible chance and every possible moment of life. For them, the time their babies had together in the womb still mattered, and they wanted to honor both lives equally.
They also felt it was important to give their babies names before they were born.
The healthy twin was named Callie, while the baby who would likely not survive was named Skye.
Millie later explained that choosing the name Skye was deeply meaningful to her. The name symbolized the sky—a place she imagined her daughter would always remain, watching over the family. By giving her daughter a name before birth, Millie wanted to ensure that Skye’s life, however brief, would always be acknowledged and remembered.
The pregnancy continued with a mixture of love, anticipation, and quiet sadness. Every doctor’s appointment and every ultrasound carried both hope and heartbreak.
On April 30, Millie went into labor prematurely at just 30 weeks of pregnancy. Because of the early labor and the high-risk nature of the pregnancy, doctors performed an emergency cesarean section.
The hospital staff had already prepared special support for the family, knowing what lay ahead. They were assigned a bereavement midwife—a professional specially trained to guide parents through the emotional process of losing a child. This support helped the couple navigate the incredibly complex emotions surrounding the birth.
The hospital also provided access to a private space known as a Daisy Room. These rooms exist in some hospitals to give families a quiet and respectful place where they can spend precious time with their babies before and after death.
When the twins were finally born, something unexpected happened.
Both babies cried.
Doctors had previously warned Millie and Lewis that Skye would likely not move or make any sound at all after birth due to her condition. Hearing her cry was both shocking and deeply emotional.
For three precious hours, the couple was able to hold their newborn daughter. They cuddled her, spoke to her, and spent every possible moment together as a family.
Eventually, Skye passed away peacefully in her parents’ arms.
Millie later described the moment as the most heartbreaking experience of her life. Yet at the same time, she felt grateful for those few hours they had been given with their daughter.
While grieving the loss of Skye, the couple also had to focus on caring for Callie, who remained in the neonatal intensive care unit because she had been born prematurely.
Life in the NICU can be emotionally intense even for families whose babies are expected to recover. The unit is filled with medical equipment, monitors, and teams of nurses working constantly to care for fragile newborns.
Several other sets of twins were also staying in the unit, all born prematurely and requiring specialized care.
During the first few days, many nurses and staff members were aware of what had happened to Skye. They treated the family with great sensitivity and compassion.
But as time passed, fewer people spoke about her.
After several weeks, the tragedy slowly faded from everyday conversations within the unit. Other parents visiting the NICU had no idea that Callie had once had a twin sister.
One day, a mother of twins who was also staying in the unit made a casual comment to Millie during a conversation.
She jokingly said that Millie was “lucky” not to have two babies to care for.
The remark was not intended to be cruel or insensitive. The woman simply believed Callie was a single baby and had no knowledge of Skye’s existence.
But the comment deeply affected Millie.
Hearing those words reminded her painfully of the daughter she had lost. Overcome with emotion, she left the room in tears.
The other mother never realized what had happened or why her innocent remark had caused such pain.
That moment made Millie realize something important.
Many families in neonatal units experience the loss of one baby from a multiple birth, yet other parents and visitors often have no way of knowing this. Without that knowledge, even well-meaning comments can unintentionally cause emotional harm.
Millie began thinking about a way to prevent these painful misunderstandings.
Her idea was simple but powerful.
She created a poster for NICU units explaining that a purple butterfly sticker placed on an incubator indicates that a baby from a multiple birth has passed away.
The symbol allows hospital staff, visitors, and other parents to understand the family’s situation without forcing grieving parents to repeatedly explain their loss.
Millie carefully chose the butterfly symbol for a reason. Butterflies are often associated with transformation, life, and the idea of souls moving on. For Millie, the butterfly represented babies who had “flown away,” symbolizing their brief but meaningful lives.
She also selected the color purple because it is widely considered a gender-neutral color, making it appropriate for both boys and girls.
The butterfly sticker quietly communicates a message of compassion and awareness.
For grieving parents, it ensures that their loss is acknowledged while also protecting them from painful conversations and unintended remarks.
Millie’s idea soon grew into something much larger.
She founded the Skye High Foundation, named in honor of her daughter. The organization works to raise awareness about infant loss and to provide support for families experiencing similar tragedies.
Through the foundation, the purple butterfly initiative has spread to hospitals across many countries.
Today, numerous neonatal units use the purple butterfly symbol to indicate the loss of one or more babies in a multiple birth.
In addition to the stickers, the foundation provides informational materials, remembrance items, and emotional support resources for grieving families.
Years have passed since Skye’s brief life, but her impact continues to reach families around the world.
Her twin sister Callie has grown into a joyful and energetic child. Now several years old, she represents the love and hope that remained after such a painful loss.
At the same time, Skye’s memory continues to inspire compassion through the purple butterfly program.
What began as one mother’s attempt to prevent a painful misunderstanding has grown into an international symbol of empathy for grieving families.
Purple butterfly cards, awareness campaigns, and support groups now exist to ensure that families experiencing infant loss are never overlooked or misunderstood.
Conclusion
The purple butterfly sticker may appear small and simple, but it carries an incredibly powerful meaning. It represents the quiet grief of parents who have welcomed one baby into the world while saying goodbye to another.
Millie Smith’s heartbreaking experience was transformed into a compassionate initiative that now helps thousands of families feel seen, understood, and supported during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
By creating the purple butterfly symbol and establishing the Skye High Foundation, she ensured that her daughter Skye’s brief life would leave a lasting legacy of understanding, empathy, and kindness.
Today, in neonatal units across the world, that small purple butterfly continues to speak without words—honoring babies who were lost too soon and reminding everyone that even the shortest lives can leave the deepest impact.