Martika Alford

I am a proud Aboriginal woman, a mum of three beautiful daughters, and a passionate advocate for children and families.

My journey with premature birth began during my pregnancy with my daughter Maleah, when I developed preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Due to complications, Maleah was born prematurely at just 32 weeks and spent the first eight weeks of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Having a premature baby was an emotional and challenging experience, filled with uncertainty, worry and hope. Those eight weeks in hospital gave me a firsthand understanding of the challenges families face when their babies arrive earlier than expected, and just how important emotional support, reassurance and compassion can be.

My parenting journey has also involved raising children with additional needs. My eldest daughter, Maniya, has ADHD and an intellectual delay, while Maleah has autism, Global Developmental Delay (GDD) and asthma. These experiences have taught me the importance of patience, understanding, resilience and advocating for my children’s individual needs. As a mother, I have spent many years navigating healthcare systems, specialist appointments, therapies and educational support services.

Through these experiences, I have developed a strong passion for ensuring families feel heard, respected and supported, especially when advocating for children who may not always be able to communicate their own needs. I am incredibly excited and honoured to be joining Miracle Babies Foundation as an Aboriginal Consumer Representative. As a proud Aboriginal woman, I hope to bring both my cultural perspective and lived experience to the role, helping ensure Aboriginal families feel culturally safe, understood, included and supported throughout their neonatal journey. I believe every family deserves to have a voice, to feel empowered and to know they are not alone, regardless of the challenges they face. Through this opportunity, I look forward to sharing my story, learning from others and helping make a positive difference for premature babies, children with additional needs and the families who love and care for them.