We exist to fill the gaps we know firsthand.

The Aliyah Mae Foundation was built on lived experience, founded by Jessica and Joshua Yugovich following the loss of their daughter, Aliyah Mae. Supported by a dedicated board of directors and volunteers, we exist to ensure no family faces child loss alone.

ABOUT US

OUR STORY

Aliyah Mae

Aliyah Mae Yugovich was three years old, when she died just days after a routine medical procedure in July 2024. Her death was preventable.

In the aftermath, her parents Jessica and Joshua found themselves navigating grief, practical decisions, and a healthcare system that wasn't designed to support families like theirs. They searched for resources that didn't exist, for support that wasn't there, and for answers that never came easily.

The Aliyah Mae Foundation was their response. Built not from a desire to turn pain into purpose, but from a deep conviction that what happened to their family should not happen to others, and that when it does, families deserve to be met with care, not silence.

A family of four with two young children enjoying time outdoors on a sunny day, sitting on a blanket in a grassy field.
A woman holding a young girl in a tight embrace outdoors at sunset, smiling and laughing.

Our Vision

A world where no family feels alone in their grief following the loss of a child. Supported by a paediatric healthcare system that is safe, responsive, and trauma-informed — where families are heard, clinicians are supported, and preventable harm is actively reduced.

A family of four, including a woman, man, and two young children, sharing a hug outdoors on a cloudy day.

Our Mission

To support families navigating child loss through advocacy, education, peer connection, and therapeutic support — while working alongside clinicians and healthcare systems to strengthen safe, collaborative, and trauma-informed care.

A black and white close-up photograph of a woman holding a small fluffy dog. The woman’s face is partially visible, showing her lips and nose. The dog is being held close to her face, and she is gently touching its head.

No family deserves to feel alone or unsupported in their most vulnerable moments.

MEET THE TEAM

The hearts behind the mission.

Smiling woman with long brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a sleeveless white top, sitting on a light-colored couch in a bright, modern room.

Jess Yugovich

Mother of Aliyah Mae, and the driving force behind The Aliyah Mae Foundation. Jessica is a mental health advocate, lived experience consultant, and child loss advocate working across healthcare, policy, and community sectors. She is committed to ensuring that the lessons learned from Aliyah's life and death create lasting, meaningful change for families across Australia.

Founder & Managing Director
A young man with short brown hair wearing a light purple button-up shirt, smiling, standing against a plain off-white wall.

Joshua Yugovich

Father of Aliyah Mae, and a foundational pillar of The Aliyah Mae Foundation since its earliest days. Joshua brings calm, steady leadership and practical expertise to AMF's operations, ensuring the organisation continues to grow with integrity and purpose.

Director
A woman with brown hair sitting on stone beside a small waterfall or stream in a park, smiling at the camera.

An educator and passionate advocate for child safety, disability rights, and human rights. Yasmin brings a strong social justice lens to AMF's work, ensuring the voices of the most vulnerable families remain at the centre of everything we do.

Director

Yasmin Jerovich

A woman with long brown hair, wearing glasses and a beige sleeveless dress, sitting on a dark green tufted leather sofa with patterned pillows, in front of a light-colored wall with hanging green vines.

A trauma-informed psychotherapist specialising in grief and complex trauma. Renae brings clinical depth and compassionate expertise to AMF's programs, ensuring our support is grounded in evidence-based, trauma-informed practice.

Director

Renae Raat

A smiling woman with long, wavy dark hair, wearing a black polka-dot sleeveless dress, gold necklaces, and small tattoos of butterflies on her left arm, standing against a plain, light-colored wall.

A Registered Nurse with almost a decade of clinical experience, currently working in the Emergency Department at Perth Children's Hospital. Sarah brings frontline healthcare knowledge and a deep understanding of the systems families navigate in their most critical moments.

Director

Sarah Perera