Mum of two boys earthside, and mum to four angel, “Flutterby Babies” has been named as a finalist in the Global Prestigious Awards of Women Changing the World for 2024.
Presented by Sarah, Duchess of York and Dr. Tererai Trent, the Awards celebrate women achieving outstanding success in sustainability, humanitarian work, leadership, advocacy, tech, product development, education, health and innovation. Sarah, Duchess of York and Dr Tererai Trent’s powerful call to action aims to awaken hearts and inspire people to come together to forge a brighter path for all. Their collective vision extends beyond conventional recognition, aiming to amplify the voices of those often overlooked, yet whose contributions are invaluable. The awards celebrate individual accomplishments and seek to inspire others to create change in ways both big and small.
Sarah, Duchess of York says: “Our aim is to give voice to silent whispers. We want to lift women up all over the world and tell their stories.”
Dr. Tererai Trent adds: “These exceptional women are here to awaken hearts, give permission to recapture dreams and inspire the women of the world to come together to forge a brighter path for all.”
A journalist and writer, Rachael turned her passion for writing into a “passion with purpose project”, which saw her publish a gift book that helps women and families who have experienced early pregnancy loss.
Over the years since the book launched, the gift book has also helped to support, Australian Early Pregnancy Loss/Miscarriage Awareness Charity: Pink Elephants Support Network, with $5 of every book purchased, being donated to the charity.
Her big-picture vision is to continue to help women who have suffered early pregnancy loss, with a key focus with helping families who have experienced missed miscarriages/along with recurrent ectopic pregnancies, and have then had to undergo further fertility treatment. Rachael and her husband have also undergone the journey of IVF, which has been an emotional experience.
When asked what inspired Rachael to publish her gift book, she said, “When I was going through my pregnancy losses, over a 10 year period, there originally was not much support out there. It was a very isolating experience and one which can affect not just the physical health of the mothers as they begin to heal, but emotionally and mentally. No matter how early the pregnancy loss, and how many years pass, the loss of your precious angel babies never truly leaves you.”
Rachael gives this advice for others thinking about following their calling and passion to make and to create change in the world, “I am a big believer in doing what feels right in your heart. When I first wrote Flutterby Baby Book, I knew that if it helped just one person, it was worth doing. The gift book during COVID-19 was a part of the Mater Hospital in Brisbane’s Bereavement Program and gift books had also been donated to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, and North West Hospital, along with the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, to name a few.
Rachael is proud of Flutterby Baby Book’s achievements and how it is helped to ensure that families do not feel as alone in their journey of pregnancy loss. “It is a very traumatic thing to go through and sadly the statistics of one in four is very common for women who experience early pregnancy loss, which in fact may be even more like 1 in 3 with some further research and more up-to-date statistics.”
Rachael is grateful for the support of everyone who helped to bring Flutterby Baby Book to life. “I had a wonderful support team around myself. From my beautiful, Editor, to our wonderful gift book Illustrator and Graphic Designer, I feel that we all felt the project was an incredibly special thing to be a part of.
Many of the women involved with the gift book, at also had their own experiences with pregnancy loss.”
Rachael attributes her success to being inspired by women who support women and for society’s conversation around pregnancy loss and infertility being much more supported in this day and age. “I hope to continue the conversation and be an advocate for women and families, just like our family. To have a voice and to know that their precious little babies matter. They will forever be in our hearts.”
The winners of the 2024 Women Changing the World Awards will be announced in London, United Kingdom at the end of May.
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