About Us

It began with a little idea…

What if we could change the way parents are supported after the death of their baby?

Now, with the help of countless people, we are providing care boxes to several hospitals and health clinics across the ACT, and connecting with local loss families.

A large gold heart surrounded by radiating lines on a black background.

I’m Alex, Penny and Lyla’s Mum.

A woman with gray hair tied in a bun is holding a newborn baby wrapped in a knitted blanket, and they are touching foreheads.

Anna Dewar Photography

Thank you for visiting. I’d love to share a bit about how Love From Penny & Lyla came to be.

I'm married to Duncan, and together we have two beautiful girls, Penny and Lyla. Sadly we only get to hold the girls in our hearts, not in our arms. We lost Penny through miscarriage at 13+4 weeks in 2022, and Lyla shortly after she was born at 23+1 weeks in 2023.

'Love From Penny & Lyla' is a way to share our babies with the world, to make sure their memories live on, and in a way, to parent from afar. It's a great comfort to be able to pass on the love that Penny and Lyla have brought to us, to others who need it in their darkest hours.

Our Mission

To provide compassionate support, comfort and connection to families grieving the loss of a baby during pregnancy or early infancy, through the provision of keepsake and care items.

Our Vision

A world where every family experiencing the loss of a baby feels seen, supported, and surrounded by love; where grief is met with compassion and no one endures it in silence.

A beige plush bunny surrounded by greeting cards, books, and an ultrasound photo on a white surface.

Our Principles

Integrity

We are transparent, responsible, and accountable in all we do. We will always put the needs of grieving families at the heart of our mission.

A loss is a loss, at any stage

We are working to break the taboo surrounding baby loss, particularly during earlier pregnancy. Regardless of when your baby dies, your grief is not ‘too much’ or ‘over the top’. Your baby matters.

Trauma Informed

We foster a safe, inclusive, and compassionate space where bereaved parents can feel comfortable to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable. We acknowledge trauma often accompanies baby loss.

No one grieves alone

While no two stories are the same it can bring comfort to know there are others going through something similar. Community makes us all stronger.

Talk about your baby!

It might feel ‘weird’ to others, but it is normal to want to talk to your baby. It’s not uncomfortable here - we would love to hear about your baby and your experience of parenthood, no matter how it has unfolded.

Meet our Team

  • A woman with platinum blonde hair in a messy bun, wearing a light pink sweatshirt, gently kisses a newborn baby wrapped in a cream knitted blanket and wearing pink mittens, on the forehead.

    Alex McDonald

    FOUNDER

    PENNY & LYLA’S MUM

  • A woman holding a newborn baby close to her face, gently kissing the baby's forehead, both appearing to be in a tender moment.

    Jules Mallia

    WILLOW’S MUM

  • A woman holding a newborn baby, with a man and woman looking at the baby, in a tender moment.

    Lauran & Alex Ellis-Hughes

    THEO’S MUM & DAD

  • A pregnant woman in a flowing pink dress holding a pink balloon in an outdoor setting with trees and hills in the background, bathed in warm sunlight.

    Laura Hinwood

    EMILIA’S MUM

  • A woman holding a newborn baby wrapped in blankets.

    Natalie Beck

    ELEANOR & GEORGE’S MUM

A digital graphic with a heart and sun rays at the top, pink clouds with a message from Penny and Lyla, and a multicolored heart beneath with the text 'Proudly supporting' above and 'Canberra Hospitals Foundation' below.

We are an approved third party fundraiser

Love From Penny & Lyla is a third-party fundraising organisation under the Canberra Hospitals Foundation. CHF is a registered charity, and the endorsed charity for Canberra Health Services. It is committed to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families in the ACT region.

CHF ensures that every donation and in-kind support positively impacts patients and families in the wider Canberra region who require treatment at Canberra Health Services public healthcare facilities.

Donate
Donate

Testimonials

  • A sprig of green leaves on a white background.

    "My partner and I lost our beautiful boy at 37 weeks on Christmas Eve last year and we were given one of your boxes. Every item was so incredibly thoughtful and it was such a lovely experience to go through it together when we didn't know what to do with ourselves. The milestone book is particularly amazing and really helped to give us prompts of what to write down to celebrate our little boy's life. I have met other loss mums since and realised that our experience was unique which has made me even more grateful for the box...it has really made a difference to our lives xx"

    - T

  • A green leafy plant with multiple leaves on a thin stem against a plain white background.

    "After the loss of our darling baby boy, Alex personally gifted me a beautiful box. In what was an absolutely devastating and heartbreaking time, it offered an incredible amount of unexpected comfort, love and hope. Many of those items were very generously donated by a number of other bereaved mum’s and included ideas and items for memory making. All items in the box were stunning and beautiful and we will cherish it forever. Thank you so much."

    - A

  • Pink cherry blossoms on a tree branch against a bright sky.

    "So comforting. A mix of practical and sentimental things."

    - A

  • Close-up of pinkish-orange dahlia flowers in full bloom with green leaves and a blurred background.

    “I loved my box. I wish I had received it earlier. Particularly the little books from Remy and Jack (maybe that is something medical professionals need to be educated on, as some of the info would have been really helpful when we were doing end of life care but we received them after our daughter's death). Thank you for all that you are doing to support bereaved parents."

    - A

  • Close-up of a pink and white rose floating against a light blue sky with soft clouds.

    “Knowing that our little girl was acknowledged even though she was only here for a short 14w5d."

    - S

  • Close-up of a white daisy flower with a brown and yellow center against a blurred dark background.

    “Grief is so hard but this is one beautiful initiative."

    - S

  • A single light pink gerbera daisy flower with a green stem on a light blue background.

    "The box is absolutely gorgeous. Everything in there is stunning and beautiful, and so incredibly generous. Thank you so so much."

    - T

Submit a Testimonial