LIFE hasn’t gotten any easier for Rebekah and Mal Crowther.
And it probably never will.
On September 23, 2022, their little baby girl was stillborn. Rebekah and Mal named their daughter, Mia, and tried beyond all eternity to get on with life.
But the emptiness remains. And it’s not likely to go away. Not all of it, anyway.
Rebekah, 29, is a Moree girl, born and raised. Mal, 28, hails from the Inverell district. They now live and work on the property Yarral, near Narrabri.
“I originally thought all stillbirths have a reason, possibly predictable, or at least more common in high-risk pregnancies, but they’re not,” Rebekah said.
“Sadly, it’s very common, and doctors can’t even find a cause. In our instance they think it was due to misfired cells in the placenta.
“These aren’t detectable during pregnancy and can only be seen under a microscope. Also, there’s no way to prevent it,” she said.
Rebekah and Mal Crowther with their son Colton, and the teddy bear holding baby Mia’s ashes (Image courtesy of Jasmin Morrison).
On April 15, 2023, Rebekah and Mal married at Tenterfield. About 10 months later, a healthy little boy they named Colton was born at Armidale Hospital.
“I had to have daily injections of blood thinners when pregnant with Colton to hopefully avoid blood clots . . . that’s what the cells caused in the umbilical cord with Mia.
“But even then, there was no guarantee. Luckily, our little boy was born healthy, although it was not a smooth experience, either,” Rebekah said.
Rebekah and Mal now want to help the people who helped them, especially an organisation called Bears of Hope, which provides support and care for families who experience the loss of their baby during pregnancy, birth or infancy.
Rebekah and Mal are organising a fundraiser on Saturday, October 25, when Rebekah will walk from Inverell Hospital to Nullamanna Hall, about 20km north of Inverell.
Nullamanna is Mal’s hometown. His ancestors settled in the district in the 1800s and his family is still there.
The Crowther name is synonymous with Nullamanna, especially the 87-year-old hall.
Mal’s grandfather, Fred Crowther, has been on the Nullamanna Recreation Ground Land Trust for more than 40 years, so it only seems right the fundraiser is held there.
After Rebekah’s walk to the hall, a trivia night, sausage sizzle, raffles and live music and entertainment will be held.
All money raised will be donated to Bears of Hope.
Losing baby Mia was a heartbreaking experience. Sadly, time hasn’t healed all the wounds.
But Bears of Hope helped make the grief bearable.
“After I woke from surgery, we got to spend time with our daughter thanks to a special cold cot, which was provided by Bears of Hope,” Rebekah said.
“We got to cuddle our daughter and get some family photos together.
“The contribution of Bears of Hope to our healing was incredible. At the hospital, we were provided with a care package that included a teddy bear, books, information on next steps and resources we could use,” she said.
Rebekah and Mal went home to Yarral and tried to heal.
Mal and Rebekah Crowther with baby Colton (Image courtesy of Jasmin Morrison).
At the moment, Rebekah is a stay-at-home mum with Baby Colton and is studying a finance-based course through TAFE NSW.
“About 10 days after leaving hospital, while waiting for my referral to the visiting psychologist, I decided I needed to speak to someone,” Rebekah said.
“I contacted Bears of Hope and began counselling with one of their dedicated psychologists. It began with a live chat and eventually I underwent phone consults with the loveliest lady I have ever spoken to.
“These fortnightly appointments managed to give me the tools, accompanied by the extensive support around me, to get back to life and start living again.
“It gave us hope . . . and that is the message of Bears of Hope,” she said.
Rebekah’s story is indeed one of hope. She wants to share her story to help and inspire others.
And she wants people to know there is help out there.
“Before my experience, I had only known of two families who had suffered late-term miscarriages or stillbirths,” Rebekah said.
“My assumptions about stillbirth was that it only happened in high-risk pregnancies or if there were extenuating circumstances or lack of medical care. I was so wrong.
“Our daughter was born on a Friday. I had my 36-week appointment with my obstetrician on the Monday – fortnightly appointments at that stage – and my midwife appointment on the Wednesday. “Everything was looking perfect, measurements were good, and there were no signs of anything going wrong,” she said.
Less than 48 hours later, baby Mia passed away before birth.
“I remember going to sleep at about 11pm,” Rebekah said.
“I felt a kick and then fell asleep quickly with exhaustion. I remember details of this day like it was yesterday.
“When I woke up, I didn’t feel much movement so I had some breakfast to see if sugar would help. There was still no movement so we headed to the hospital, where I was put on monitors straight away.
“Staff there used the Doppler ultrasound trying to find a heartbeat. There were a couple of faint beats but that was more likely my own heartbeat through the vein from where they were trying.
“They couldn’t find a heartbeat and my obstetrician was there within five minutes with a portable ultrasound machine.
“We had a look at our little girl and her heart was not beating. I remember every detail of that day, including what I was wearing and sitting in the waiting room at Inverell, bawling my eyes out. It was beyond traumatising.
“The decision was made that I would have a C-section that afternoon,” Rebekah said.
Baby Mia’s ashes are now safely held in a teddy bear angel.
“I’m hoping to raise awareness of stillbirth, and the work done by Bears of Hope,” Rebekah said.
“The walk and fundraiser is a way to give something back and help ensure Bears of Hope can continue providing essential support and services for families in need.
“We’re hoping to hold some sort of fundraiser every year in Mia’s name, because something good has to come from something so terrible.
“It makes me feel a bit better using my pain to hopefully help others who are experiencing the same sort of pain,” she said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up at https://gofund.me/10e00732 and Rebekah and Mal are also seeking sponsorship from business houses in the district to help with prizes and donations for the fundraiser.
Rebekah can be contacted by email at rebekahcrowther@outlook.com or by phone on 0481 759948.
Bears for Hope Fundraiser
When: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Where: Nullamanna Hall (20km north of Inverell)
Time: From late afternoon after Rebekah walks from Inverell Hospital to Nullamanna Hall.
About: There will be a trivia night, sausage sizzle, raffles and live music and entertainment, with all money raised donated to Bears of Hope, a not-for-profit organisation providing support and care for families who experience the loss of their baby during pregnancy, birth or infancy.
