She prefers working diligently behind-the-scenes to get the job done.

However, over the years this passionate, and committed, advocate has come to appreciate the value of standing up and speaking out about the once taboo subject of pregnancy and infant loss.

And, she did this eloquently on Australia Day when accepting the Singleton Citizen of the Year Award for her tireless charity work.

In thanking those who have supported her, Toni also revealed her heartbreaking yet uplifting story.

“Most importantly, I would not be up here if I had not personally experienced the loss of my five babies during pregnancy and my twin daughters shortly after birth. I would like to acknowledge Rhys, Jordyn, Cooper, Kaitlyn, Jacinta, Madelin and James. They were my inspiration to start helping others,” she explained.

“Singleton Hospital was one of the first three hospitals where I began donating teddy bears 13 years ago. They were tagged in honour of my babies with a message included for the receiving parent and given with a brochure - to offer support before they left hospital without their baby. It was all about the need to prevent parents feeling as I did – alone in their grief. There was very little peer-to-peer parent support. Baby loss just wasn’t spoken about.”

Today,  as a registered non-profit organisation Bears of Hope is dedicated to the care of others and reinvesting their finances and resources to ensure they are the leading support for pregnancy and infant loss in Australia.