Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia

Nurshuan was born in the "Altai Tavan Bogd" mountain region far west of Mongolia. This region is known for its frosty grand mountains and nomadic eagle hunters. Girls and boys here taught to ride horses with eagles on their shoulders hunting for wild animals. But Nurshuan couldn’t do any of it. She was born with severe cardiomyopathy: heart muscle defect. Her blood oxygen levels were 40% less than a normal range thus threatening her life.

Despite her condition, Nurshuan and her family traveled 140 km on horseback and another 150 km by car in freezing winter to reach our team of heart surgeons visiting the regional hospital. She was amongst a luckiest few who survived thanks to timely treatment. Now, Nurshuan is a healthy 6-year-old girl, thriving to become a famous eagle hunter.