Adéle Maritz completed her Matric in 1990. Her career background includes Journalism, Advertising, Marketing, Management, and Public Relations. Currently she runs her own consultancy business that offers a wide range of brand development and marketing services. Adéle was born with a severely disfigured leg that was amputated, the first amputation being at 9 years of age and the second followed 4 years later. She has suffered several obstacles in life, the worst being the death of her 8 year old daughter who was shot due to a case of mistaken identity during a house robbery in 2012. Her compelling story of the event, aftermath and journey to finding hope again is what forms the basis of her “Surviving Loss” initiatives. As part of her personal mission to assist other mothers who have lost children she started “Surviving Loss” mid 2016 and runs a Facebook page (@alivewithhope) and website under the same banner.