Solongo – Age 8 – Mongolia

When she was just a few months old, Solongo was diagnosed with a hole between her heart’s upper chambers, also called an atrial septal defect. Initially, doctors hoped her body would heal naturally. Unfortunately, that did not happen and Solongo needed open heart surgery. With no doctors in Mongolia able to perform the procedure, HeartGift brought Solongo to the US for care. After a successful surgery, she left the hospital in just three days like the heart warrior that she is! While in America, she learned how to count to ten in English and absolutely loved her host dog, Jake. Solongo is extremely resilient and has gotten back to doing what 8-year-olds do … making jewelry and singing songs.