March 2025 will mark six years since I received my Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis — a life-changing confirmation that my mother and I spent four very difficult years seeking — desperate for the acknowledgment and support of healthcare professionals, for what we had come to realise was true: That my brain and body had been irrevocably damaged by alcohol exposure in the first trimester of my mother’s pregnancy.
By the age of 33, my entire adult life had been defined by illness, fatigue, isolation, confusion, and profound experiences of failure and despair so deep and inescapable that I only just made it through. I understand now that this is the toll paid for a lifetime of unrecognised challenges — significant cognitive and physical differences hidden behind a sharp vocabulary, a (mostly) sweet disposition, and an unshakable desire to be a “good girl.”
In a society awash with the insidious influence of a powerful multi-billion-dollar alcohol industry, ignorance about the consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure has thrived through misleading narratives, hidden agendas, social pressure, assumptions, and the deafening whispers of judgment.
FASD, the leading cause of non-genetic disability in Australia (four times more common than Autism and ADHD, but encompassing both), has been effectively hidden behind a seemingly impenetrable veil of denial and stigma.
A diagnosis of FASD should not be hindered by the perceived burden of an “undesirable label” from those that do not carry it, nor should it be used as an excuse to cast blame and shame onto our mothers. To be clear, it’s not FASD that stigmatises and marginalises hundreds of thousands of Australians — people do that.
Knowing that you live with a brain injury is hard, but not knowing? That is much harder.
A FASD diagnosis didn’t just offer a cause for my struggles; it illuminated the deep fog of misunderstanding and misdiagnosis that I, like so many others, live under and under which we inevitably flounder. Understanding my brain differences marked the end of a life that I often felt was not worth living and the beginning of a life in which there is an opportunity to understand myself, to heal, grow, and succeed, despite the many challenges.
Raising awareness and education about the risks of alcohol during pregnancy isn’t just important — it’s life-changing and, without hyperbole, life-saving.
It can feel incredibly difficult for individuals to have honest, compassionate, and informed discussions about alcohol and pregnancy, but for the last three years, with FARE at the helm, and backed by over 50 years of research, the Every Moment Matters campaign has sensitively and effectively tackled the misconceptions around prenatal alcohol exposure and its consequences.
The clear message — “The moment you start trying is the moment to stop drinking alcohol” — resonates deeply and the results are clear: In just three years, awareness has skyrocketed, and the number of women now conscious that there is no safe time or amount of alcohol use during pregnancy has jumped from 58 per cent to a staggering 82 per cent!
But Every Moment Matters goes beyond statistics. It fosters open conversations, replacing judgement with knowledge and support, and creates a social understanding of the importance of supporting all women to have healthy pregnancies.
This campaign isn’t just about prevention; it’s about removing the shroud of stigma surrounding FASD. In a world where my struggles are often invisible and misunderstood, EMM lights a pathway to understanding and compassion. It’s a testament to the power of knowledge driving change — ensuring that future generations of mothers and babies have the best chance to thrive.
A FASD diagnosis is not condemnation; it’s revelation. It doesn’t add to the difficulties already created by exposure in the womb; it unveils them. It’s the key that unlocks understanding, the gateway to support, and the first step toward healing and hope. For individuals and families affected by FASD, that recognition can be transformative — both for individuals living with FASD and for the families who stand by them. Without this understanding, we’re left fighting an invisible battle, one misunderstood life at a time.
Every moment does indeed matter.
Every Moment Matters delivers $236m benefit to Australians
Last week, the National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Program Social Return on Investment report found that every $1 invested in the Every Moment Matters campaign generated a $9 social return.
The campaign, delivered by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) and funded by the Australian Government, has increased awareness and changed behaviours among people who are pregnant and breastfeeding since its launch in 2021.