Tatiana’s inspiring story of survival

By all accounts, Tatiana Neuser-Bostel shouldn’t be here. 

“When I was a child, doctors told my parents I wouldn’t make it past my teens. Then, at 43, I was given just 12 months to live. I’m happy to say at 62, I proved everyone wrong,” Tatiana said.  

Tatiana was born with a rare heart defect known as Truncus Arteriosus which left her with seriously low oxygen levels. 

“Back in those days there weren’t any MRIs or ultrasounds, but they did an angiogram with a camera and diagnosed a hole in the heart. There was nothing they could do to help me and told my parents I probably wouldn’t make it past 17 or 18,” she said. 

“These days babies born with my condition can have corrective surgery when they’re only a few weeks old but back then in Australia it just wasn’t an option.” 

Although she says it was always in the back of her mind that she might one day need a transplant, she managed a relatively normal life, met and married husband Stephan in her 30s and moved to Germany to be closer to his family.  

“It was when we moved back to Perth that my cardiologist told me my heart was tiring and that my lungs were also extensively damaged from Pulmonary Hypertension.” 

Tatiana first went on the transplant list in 2005 and in May 2007 received the call that would change her life – undergoing a double lung and heart transplant at 44. 

Now aged 62 and a picture of health surrounded by friends and family, she said she feels extremely lucky to have lived the life she has and to be able to enjoy everyday moments into her 60s. 

“Heart and lung research has given me another chance at life.”  

The Hospital Research Foundation Group (formerly Spinnaker Health Research Foundation) is proud to fund life-changing medical research into transplantations, giving everyday Western Australians like Tatiana a new lease on life. 

To support this amazing work, donate today.