When Carly Saunders and Tresne Middleton’s 20-month-old daughter Poppy Grace passed away in February 2023, their world was shattered.
“Those first 12 months were a bit of a blur,” Tresne tells Woman’s Day as we catch up over coffee at their Newcastle home. “But we’ve been working hard to come out the other side.”
These days are a little brighter, the former My Kitchen Rules contestants reveal, thanks to their son Sunny, who turned two this month.
When asked how they’ll be celebrating Sunny’s special day, Carly says they’ll keep it low-key with a trip to the zoo and some bowling.
“Poppy loved any chance to party… if there was cake and balloons, she knew it was party time,” says Carly, while watching Sunny enjoy a slice of orange cake in his highchair.
HAPPIEST LITTLE KID
“And this little guy has inherited that too. We just want to focus on him on his birthday with a little trip to the zoo and maybe some tenpin bowling.”
After Poppy Grace lost her battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which she was diagnosed with at just 11 weeks old, Carly and Tresne have dedicated themselves to fighting and preventing childhood cancer.
They’ve also been raising awareness on the importance of donating blood, platelets and plasma – and incredibly, they’ve saved thousands of people in Poppy Grace’s name.
“Our goal last Christmas was to get past saving 10,000 lives and we smashed that,” Carly says. “It was incredible because each blood donation saves three lives.”
The couple also fundraise for the Children’s Cancer Institute, by selling ceramic Christmas tree ornaments infused with Poppy Grace’s sparkle.
“We’ve done three ornaments now,” says Carly. “I’m thinking people’s trees are going to fall over if I keep going with the ceramic ones!”
So the couple have decided to mix things up this year – and are releasing a children’s book called The Light That Stayed.
“It’s about how someone can pass away, but all their good can still stay in the world,” Carly explains.
Inspired by the 547 days their brave girl spent receiving treatment in hospital, the book aims to help other children navigate difficult situations with a cheerful and brave attitude.
“Poppy Grace was the happiest little kid,” Tresne says.
“She’d go through emergency situations where her heart rate would go crazy and we’d end up in ICU – but she’d be sitting there with a smile on her face.”
LITTLE BLESSING
But amid the unimaginable grief, the couple, who married in New Zealand in 2014, knew they wanted to be mums again and began IVF in 2024.
“We were so over the moon when we found out we were pregnant with Sunny,” Carly says with a huge smile.
“He’s such a blessing,” adds Tresne.
As Sunny enters the so-called “terrible twos”, Carly and Tresne reveal they’re excited to be the best mums they can while balancing the demands of running their teacher development business.
But it appears the couple have nothing to fear – as Sunny was more than eager to help tidy the back patio for our photoshoot.
“He watches everything you do and tries to mimic it,” says Carly.
“He loves helping us wash up and loves to cook.”
When asked if Sunny might follow in his parents’ footsteps – the pair reached the top eight on MKR in 2014 – Tresne says it’s a possibility.
“We’ve joked about him potentially doing some sort of cooking because he’s obsessed with cooking shows,” she laughs.
“If it’s not MasterChef on the TV, he’s watching The Great Australian Bake Off! He’s got a very curious mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to become an engineer.”
Sunny’s also happy to lend a hand in the kitchen.
“We’ve got him his own little stool so he can help us with chopping and peeling,” says Tresne.
“He loves to cut mushrooms, and it’s good because if he helps us make our meals, he’s more likely to eat them.”
The pair can’t imagine life without their little boy.
“He’s the sweetest little thing. We feel like Poppy had a hand in sending him to us.”
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