Lilly and Olivia Roush: 2025 Riley Champions

Like many kids their age, 13-year-old Lilly Roush and her 11-year-old sister Olivia are active and energetic. Olivia is on a cheer team and loves to jump on a trampoline. “My personality is very loud and ‘outgoing,’” she said. Lilly’s parents describe her as a social butterfly with a soft, kind soul, who loves playing soccer, doing hair and makeup, and talking on Facetime with her best friend.

Most would never guess the issue that prompted these sisters to seek care at Riley Children’s Health. It’s not a physical condition, but an emotional one: grief.

“What happened was so unexpected and shocking,” their mother, Shayla Roush, said. After a healthy pregnancy, Shayla and her husband Brandon were ready to welcome a daughter, Flynn, in April 2023. A rare childbirth complication arose during Shayla’s Cesarean section, however, and led to a tragic outcome: Flynn was stillborn.

A bereavement coordinator at IU Health North Hospital shared information about the Riley Grief Services program with the family. Lilly, Olivia and their brother David received help processing their feelings through counseling and Art Therapy. “I talked to her about anything,” Lilly said, reflecting on her sessions with Riley Grief Services Program Director Cassie Dobbs. “The last 20 minutes, we talked about Flynn and what reminds me of her. I think (the art) puts your point across without feeling judged.”

Dobbs has seen Olivia and Lilly express their bonds with their late sister through their art, often filled with pink, daisies, rainbows, and ‘I love you, Flynn.’ “It has been such an honor to get to know Flynn through Olivia and Lilly,” Dobbs said.

Riley Grief Services offers a creative studio with a quiet space. “I feel using art and learning to communicate about different feelings of grief through art and creativity has helped Lilly and Olivia the most,” Shawn Haymaker, a licensed mental health counselor, said. “They both really seem to appreciate the space.”

The entire Roush family got a chance to create meaningful memories and artwork when they attended a Riley Grief Retreat. Inspired to give back, they created “Flynn’s Library” at Riley Grief Services by donating books and installing a custom-designed bookshelf built by Flynn’s “Papaw” and Shayla’s father, Dave. They also donated a Caring Cradle to Riley Children’s Health at IU Health North, designed with cooling technology to help grieving families spend more time saying goodbye to their stillborn babies. “We are so grateful to the entire Roush family,” said Dobbs.

Now, the girls are embracing the additional opportunity to give back. “Being a Riley Champion means we can help kids who think they don’t have a voice,” Lilly said. “I’m going to help kids get through what they’ve been through,” Olivia said.

Their parents also see the Riley Champions program as another growth opportunity. “The girls are getting the tools to notice when somebody’s going through something,” Brandon said. “That will give them the ability as they grow to help someone who needs help.”

Olivia and Lilly seem more than ready to help other kids cope with their challenges, with Lilly sharing Champion advice: “You’ve got to get back up.”