Kezang Chhoden is a Grade 5 student and the third child of three siblings. She is the middle child, with an older sister and a younger brother. Her father, Tshering Wangdi, served in the soldier and her mother, Yeshi Lhamo, is a housewife. Kezang Chhoden lives in Samdrup Jongkhar, which is about 503 kilometers from the capital Thimpu. It takes two days to travel by bus. There is no hospital in the city where she lives, so when she feels unwell, she has to travel to Mongar for treatment. Kezang Chhoden was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at the age of seven. She had never had any symptoms of heart disease before, but she went to the hospital with stomach pain. The doctor diagnosed her with congenital heart disease, polyvascular (PDA). They tried taking medication first and treated her for about three years before the doctor recommended surgery. Therefore, they contacted her at 99 Bhutanese children’s heart surgery project to dedicate merit to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai – Bhutan Save Blue Heart Project) under the care of The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Foundation.

Kezang Chhoden arrived in Thailand on Sunday, February 12, 2017 with an appointment to undergo surgery for congenital heart defects with multiple blood vessels (PDA Clipping) at the Heart Disease Center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital on Monday, February 13, 2017. The surgery went well. She was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, February 16, 2017.

On February 22, 2017, Kezang Chhoden returned to Rajavithi Hospital for a post-surgery chest X-ray and heart examination. The results showed that she was healthy and could return home to continue her treatment.

Ms. Kezang Chhoden and her father returned to Bhutan on February 23 , 2017 and will be able to return to school like normal children.