‘It turned my world upside down’: Aussie star reveals shocking diagnosis
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When we think of Aussie sporting champions, we often picture them at the peak of health—fit, strong, and seemingly invincible.
But as we all know, life can throw even the toughest among us a curveball.
That’s exactly what happened to Tiana Death (pronounced 'Deeth'), a talented young athlete whose journey from the winner’s podium to a hospital bed is a powerful reminder of how quickly things can change.
Her social media may show a life filled with glamour in Sydney, but behind the scenes, a young Aussie athlete has revealed she’s been quietly battling a rare and debilitating condition: autoimmune encephalitis.
The illness, which occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain, was only diagnosed in June—two years after what she describes as the day ‘everything changed’.
Tiana Death, a former national hurdler who represented Australia at the 2018 Youth Commonwealth Games, told her social media followers the illness struck without warning.
The Kellyville teen, who previously secured a bronze medal at the 2017 national championships and competed alongside Lateisha Willis in the 100m hurdles final in the Bahamas, was also a champion at the NSW Junior and Youth Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park that same year.
‘I have never shared my full story so here it is,’ Death posted on July 4.
‘2023 I started feeling flu-like symptoms, fatigue, terrible headaches, just not quite myself. I went to the GP, but all my test results came back normal. That same day was a special one – my younger brother’s first day of high school.
‘What should have been a normal morning turned into something no one could have imagined.
‘I was found unconscious. I’d been seizing throughout the night, alone in my room. The next thing I knew, I was in the ICU, totally out of it and having constant seizures. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk, couldn’t even keep my eyes open. My body was shutting down.’
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, she revealed doctors at one point considered placing her in an induced coma.
‘I thought I was losing my mind, literally,’ she said, recalling a moment in the ICU when she couldn’t even recognise her own father.
Doctors initially believed her seizures and other symptoms may have been triggered by a viral infection. But while the cause remained unclear, she began responding to treatment—a combination of epilepsy medications and IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) infusions.
IVIG works by delivering antibodies from healthy blood donors to help control the immune system. In autoimmune encephalitis, it’s used to target and neutralise the harmful antibodies attacking the brain.
By February this year, she was cleared to leave hospital care.
‘I walked out thinking I just had to take a whole lot of medication but everything had changed. I had to relearn how to talk, walk, and even write,’ she shared.
‘When I got home I started realising I had lost so much memory. I couldn’t remember things from three years before the first seizure.
‘Whole chunks of my life were just gone – friends would show me pictures from trips or parties, tell me stories about nights we’d shared.’
According to a GoFundMe page launched to help cover her medical costs, doctors only reached a conclusive diagnosis in June—after beginning to scale back her medication.
‘Just four weeks ago they finally had a plan to slowly reduce my medications,’ she wrote.
‘It turns out the reason I’ve been having constant seizures, even with all the medication, is because I have a condition called autoimmune encephalitis.
‘It’s where your immune system mistakenly attacks your brain, causing inflammation and, for me, seizures.
‘I’m on high-dose steroids and receive monthly IVIG treatments (plasma from donors) to suppress my immune system.
‘This will likely be a lifelong journey, not just for the autoimmune disease.
‘It’s a hard card to be dealt, and it’s taken a toll on every part of my life. But through it all, I’ve realised how much you truly need your support system – friends, family, the people who show up even when things get messy.
‘If I can leave you with one thing, yes, it’s cliché, but it’s true: live each day like it’s your last. You don’t know what’s around the corner.’
Despite having a strong support network, she admitted that there have been ‘low’ days where even getting out of bed felt impossible. She was unable to work for six months and had to move back in with her family.
Her new treatment regimen has brought back some sense of normalcy. She now lives with a friend on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, but the demands of managing a chronic illness remain.
Her family launched a fundraising campaign to help raise $15,000 for the ongoing costs of IVIG infusions, specialist care, scans, medications, and related medical expenses.
‘Tiana cleared hurdles on the track with strength and grace — and now, with a little help from those around her, we’re determined to help her get over this next one,’ campaign organiser Gin Eastop wrote.
‘If you’re able to contribute, no matter the amount, your support means the world. And if now’s not the right time to donate, simply sharing Tiana’s story can still make a huge difference.’
Read more: 'I have an understanding…': Reporter’s grief meets Selma Blair’s MS battle live on air
Have you or someone you love faced a life-changing diagnosis? How did you cope, and what advice would you give to others going through a similar experience? We’d love to hear your stories and words of encouragement in the comments below!
And if you’d like to support Tiana’s ongoing battle, consider donating to her GoFundMe or simply sharing her story to help raise awareness about autoimmune encephalitis.
But as we all know, life can throw even the toughest among us a curveball.
That’s exactly what happened to Tiana Death (pronounced 'Deeth'), a talented young athlete whose journey from the winner’s podium to a hospital bed is a powerful reminder of how quickly things can change.
Her social media may show a life filled with glamour in Sydney, but behind the scenes, a young Aussie athlete has revealed she’s been quietly battling a rare and debilitating condition: autoimmune encephalitis.
The illness, which occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain, was only diagnosed in June—two years after what she describes as the day ‘everything changed’.
Tiana Death, a former national hurdler who represented Australia at the 2018 Youth Commonwealth Games, told her social media followers the illness struck without warning.
The Kellyville teen, who previously secured a bronze medal at the 2017 national championships and competed alongside Lateisha Willis in the 100m hurdles final in the Bahamas, was also a champion at the NSW Junior and Youth Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park that same year.
Aussie athletics champ Tiana Death has shared her story of being diagnosed with the rare auto-immune condition encephalitis, which causes the immune system to attack the brain. Image source: @tianadeath_ / Instagram.
‘I have never shared my full story so here it is,’ Death posted on July 4.
‘2023 I started feeling flu-like symptoms, fatigue, terrible headaches, just not quite myself. I went to the GP, but all my test results came back normal. That same day was a special one – my younger brother’s first day of high school.
‘What should have been a normal morning turned into something no one could have imagined.
‘I was found unconscious. I’d been seizing throughout the night, alone in my room. The next thing I knew, I was in the ICU, totally out of it and having constant seizures. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk, couldn’t even keep my eyes open. My body was shutting down.’
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, she revealed doctors at one point considered placing her in an induced coma.
‘I thought I was losing my mind, literally,’ she said, recalling a moment in the ICU when she couldn’t even recognise her own father.
Doctors initially believed her seizures and other symptoms may have been triggered by a viral infection. But while the cause remained unclear, she began responding to treatment—a combination of epilepsy medications and IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) infusions.
IVIG works by delivering antibodies from healthy blood donors to help control the immune system. In autoimmune encephalitis, it’s used to target and neutralise the harmful antibodies attacking the brain.
Image source: @tianadeath_ / Instagram.
By February this year, she was cleared to leave hospital care.
‘I walked out thinking I just had to take a whole lot of medication but everything had changed. I had to relearn how to talk, walk, and even write,’ she shared.
‘When I got home I started realising I had lost so much memory. I couldn’t remember things from three years before the first seizure.
‘Whole chunks of my life were just gone – friends would show me pictures from trips or parties, tell me stories about nights we’d shared.’
According to a GoFundMe page launched to help cover her medical costs, doctors only reached a conclusive diagnosis in June—after beginning to scale back her medication.
‘Just four weeks ago they finally had a plan to slowly reduce my medications,’ she wrote.
‘It turns out the reason I’ve been having constant seizures, even with all the medication, is because I have a condition called autoimmune encephalitis.
‘It’s where your immune system mistakenly attacks your brain, causing inflammation and, for me, seizures.
Image source: @tianadeath_ / Instagram.
‘I’m on high-dose steroids and receive monthly IVIG treatments (plasma from donors) to suppress my immune system.
‘This will likely be a lifelong journey, not just for the autoimmune disease.
‘It’s a hard card to be dealt, and it’s taken a toll on every part of my life. But through it all, I’ve realised how much you truly need your support system – friends, family, the people who show up even when things get messy.
‘If I can leave you with one thing, yes, it’s cliché, but it’s true: live each day like it’s your last. You don’t know what’s around the corner.’
Despite having a strong support network, she admitted that there have been ‘low’ days where even getting out of bed felt impossible. She was unable to work for six months and had to move back in with her family.
Her new treatment regimen has brought back some sense of normalcy. She now lives with a friend on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, but the demands of managing a chronic illness remain.
Her family launched a fundraising campaign to help raise $15,000 for the ongoing costs of IVIG infusions, specialist care, scans, medications, and related medical expenses.
‘Tiana cleared hurdles on the track with strength and grace — and now, with a little help from those around her, we’re determined to help her get over this next one,’ campaign organiser Gin Eastop wrote.
‘If you’re able to contribute, no matter the amount, your support means the world. And if now’s not the right time to donate, simply sharing Tiana’s story can still make a huge difference.’
Read more: 'I have an understanding…': Reporter’s grief meets Selma Blair’s MS battle live on air
Have you or someone you love faced a life-changing diagnosis? How did you cope, and what advice would you give to others going through a similar experience? We’d love to hear your stories and words of encouragement in the comments below!
And if you’d like to support Tiana’s ongoing battle, consider donating to her GoFundMe or simply sharing her story to help raise awareness about autoimmune encephalitis.
