Mardi - The Nutty Lactating Chicken
Mardi is a real-life SuperMum, tackling the world with 3 kids under the age of 10, one with particularly severe allergies. After realising that so many other mums also struggle with making life as normal as possible, despite the small obstacle of food allergies, she started The Nutty Lactating Chicken - a down-to-earth guide to living with an egg-free, nut-free, dairy-free human! Featuring allergy-friendly recipes, foods, restaurants, and travel ideas, she's paving the way for so many other mums in the same boat.
What advice would you give to your 15 year old self?
Show a bit more respect to your mum and dad; they actually know stuff and they hurt when you treat them like they don’t!
Don’t put yourself down all the time. Don’t wait until your 30’s to learn the art of receiving a compliment. Say a simple, humble Thank You; it acknowledges the person who has taken the time to give it, and boosts your confidence at the same time!
What makes you proud to be a woman?
I am humbled, every day, by so many women I see around me and hear or read about in the media who have paved the way, or who show tremendous resilience in the face of adversity. So the only ‘proud’ I feel like I can say is that I am proud to be in great company!
What has been the biggest challenge in your life so far?
The struggle to be heard. From growing up as the youngest of 6 siblings and always being seen as ‘the baby’, to stepping into the professional workforce and having to prove myself time and again, to becoming a mum and having to push for my voice and concerns to be heard by medical professionals. It feels like every day there is a challenge, but we press on because there’s so much at stake if we don’t speak up!
Where do you see your self in 10 years time?
In 10 years time I will have a 19 year old son who will lean down to kiss his mum on the cheek! I will also have 17 and 15 year old daughters who I hope will see me and their Dad as their Number 1 champions and biggest fans. Reality: I’ll be spending 20 hours a day in the car, driving them all over the city, to school and sports and movies and friends houses, and I’ll probably be loving almost every minute of the craziness! Throw in one of those European river cruises for good measure, because I’ll be almost 50, and that’s what you do at almost 50, right?!
Who is a woman that inspires you and why?
When I was 25, a dear friend of mine lost her beautiful Mum to breast cancer. This lady was remarkable; she was putting others first right up until her last breath. At her funeral, her son, 20 years old at the time, spoke so beautifully about his mum. He had life threatening food allergies and had lived his whole life with this daily challenge. He spoke about how his mum embraced them as the family’s “normal”, so that he never felt different or left out. The impact this had on his life was amazing. The impact this had on their family was remarkable; the care they showed each other was incredibly inspiring. 6 years later, I found myself in similar shoes as a mum raising a son with life threatening food allergies. I remembered Karene; the way she had dealt with her situation, and the way her actions had changed the whole family’s response to it. I think of her most days and thank God for her life, her example and her legacy.
