Dr Mariska Stander was born and grew up in Springs, in the East Rand. She relocated to Pretoria and completed her matric at Hoërskool Centurion.

In 2012, she started studying Medicine at the University of Pretoria and completed her MBChB-degree in 2017.

She went on to complete her Internship at Edenvale Hospital and her community service at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in 2020, where she worked in the Emergency Department. She then stayed on at Steve Biko after completing her community service for a further nine months. Dr Stander has since joined Alberts Cellular Therapy at Pretoria East Hospital.

In her free time, she enjoys baking (also eating what she has baked), doing make-up and shopping. She also tries to spend as much time as she can with her loved ones and fur child.