After suffering the loss of her four-week-old child to a vaccine-preventable disease, Catherine Hughes dedicated her life to making sure other families wouldn't feel her pain.
Her work to educate people about the importance of pregnancy vaccinations and immunisation through her foundation has earned her a place on the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Ms Hughes said she was incredibly humbled by the news, but her work had come at a cost.
"It's also quite bittersweet as well because this never would have happened if we hadn't lost Riley," she said.
"I take comfort in knowing that our work has helped to protect the lives of babies and families around Australia."
Light of Riley shines on
Ms Hughes and her husband Greg lost Riley to whooping cough in 2015.
That same year, the pair started the Light for Riley social media campaign to highlight vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Ms Hughes said days after Riley's death, they went public with their tragedy and encouraged the government to consider free pregnancy vaccines.
At the time of her pregnancy, whooping cough booster vaccines were not offered during the third trimester.
"Off the back of that, Australian mums can now all access free vaccines during weeks 20-32 of pregnancy," she said.
About three-quarters of women around the country now choose to have the whooping cough vaccine while pregnant, according to Ms Hughes.
One year after Riley's death the campaign developed into the Immunisation Foundation of Australia.
The foundation works with researchers, creates workshops with health care providers and runs pro-vaccination campaigns, all motivated by Riley's story.
The challenge of creating change out of heartbreak was one Ms Hughes and her husband wanted to embark on for the sake of others.
"Riley is the reason why we started this, but it's really the community that keeps us going," she said.
Vaccine hesitant targeted
Vaccines and community immunisation has become a huge issue with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Hughes said anti-vaccine sentiment had been directed at her since COVID arrived.
"We have been targeted by anti-vaccine activists and trolls before, but at the end of the day, the vitriol and the pain they sort of cause us is nothing compared to the pain of losing a child," she said.
"It kind of fuels us and motivates us."
She said the people she really wanted to get her message across to were those who are hesitant about vaccines.
"I know we are not going to influence those who are totally opposed to vaccines," she said.
"As long as most of us are doing the right thing, we are all going to be protected."
Indigenous service recognised
Alongside Ms Hughes, several other West Australians have been honoured for their work.
Dennis Eggington, Daniel Ford and Glen Kelly have all been recognised for their significant service to WA's Indigenous community.
Dorothy West has been honoured for her contribution to First Nations media while Donna Cross has been congratulated for her service in youth mental health and wellbeing and Peter Lee for his work in community housing.
