WeChat appeal for support saves Tibetan newborn's life

A baby girl born last month with a serious digestive disorder celebrated her first Tibetan New Year on Thursday after a charity appeal secured the operation needed to save her life.

Dianzin Gyezang, who was born on Jan 1, returned home to Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, a week ago after being treated in neighboring Sichuan province for more than a month.

Dianzin Gyezang was diagnosed with esophageal atresia immediately after she was born by cesarean section at a maternity hospital in Lhasa. The condition causes the esophagus, which carries food from the mouth to the stomach, to fail to develop normally. In most cases, the upper esophagus ends without properly connecting to the stomach.