The driving force behind a national organisation to raise awareness of the dangers of prenatal exposure to alcohol is among ten distinguished community members to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate at The University of Western Australia’s December graduation ceremonies.

Sue Miers is the founder of National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (NOFASD) and was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for her services to the community through the establishment of NOFASD, community education and reconciliation.

Ms Miers shared some of her experience and learnings from her 25 years of advocacy during her speech to fellow graduates and said UWA was the only Australian university offering an accredited course devoted to FASD despite it being the most common preventable disability in the world.

Image: Sue Miers is the founder of National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders .

“For such an impactful disability, there is only one accredited course in Australia devoted to it, and it is found here at The University of Western Australia,” she said.

“I offer thanks to The University of Western Australia, for their foresight in adding this course to the University’s curriculum and their ongoing professional dedication towards the cause.”

Professor Carmela Pestell, from UWA’s School of Psychological Science, led the development of the FASD course at the University and proudly endorsed Ms Miers.

“It was a pleasure nominating Sue for an Honorary Doctorate to recognise her considerable work in raising awareness about FASD and reducing the stigma associated with this condition,” Professor Pestell said.

Ms Miers, a mother of four children and seven grandchildren, first became aware of FASD when her youngest daughter, adopted in 1982, experienced developmental delays.

In a global search for answers, her daughter received her FASD diagnosis during a trip to Canada in 1999, and in the same year Ms Miers established Australia’s first national FASD Support Group. The organisation was renamed NOFASD Australia in 2013.

More than two decades on, she remains at the forefront of the movement and is still increasing understanding, dismantling stigma, and fostering support networks for those living with, and families affected by, FASD across Australia.

UWA’s Winthrop Hall will host 14 ceremonies over five days, from December 13 to 19, while 14,000 friends and family will share the achievements of the 3,500 graduating students, in-person and via livestream.

Honorary Doctorate recipients and guest speakers include: Ms Miers AM; The Hon. Virginia Bell AC; former WA premiers, Emerita Professor Carmen Lawrence AO and The Hon. Colin Barnett AC; former WA Governor, The Hon. Kim Beazley AC; former WA Chief Scientist, Professor Lyn Beazley AO; Mr Jock Clough; Mrs Tonya McCusker AM; Dr Donald Ezekiel AM; and Professor David Paterson.