Support Natalia Nel’s Heart Urgent Transplant Recovery: Help Her Family Stay Strong

On May 11, 2025 —Mother’s Day— 33-year-old Auckland mother of two Natalia Nel received a life-saving urgent heart transplant after sudden heart failure.

Natalia's health challenges began at 16 with an enlarged heart diagnosis. In 2024, she discovered it was due to a rare genetic condition affecting only a handful globally. With no standard treatment protocol available, she suffered strokes in 2020 and 2022, the latter causing lasting left-side weakness. Despite a grim prognosis in 2023 predicting two years to live, Natalia's resilience has continuously prevailed. After 11 days on life support (ECMO), she defied the odds and underwent a successful six-hour surgery. Natalia took her first steps just three days post surgery and biopsy tests have show no sign of rejection.

Now, she faces a prolonged recovery requiring 24/7 assisted care away from home. Natalia worries about the financial and emotional strains imposed upon her family due to her illness: reduced household income, increased travel and living expenses, disruptions to her daughters' schooling, and the potential costs of a health assistant should her main support network become disrupted due to illness or injury.

Your support can help Natalia focus on healing and reuniting fully with her family.

*ECMO provides critical support during severe cardiac or respiratory failure. Its operation and the operation of the National Heart and Lung Transplant Service are courtesy of Auckland Hospital's incredible Cardiovascular Unit.