16-year-old Gavrusha Mirzoyan is from Artsakh and proud of it. He’s a fighter. Since age seven, he’s battled asthma and weathered several severe flare-ups.
"Our most recent visit to Yerevan’s Arabkir Hospital was in October, 2022. As December blustered in with bad weather and road closures, we had a lot of complications. Gavrusha's health spiraled downwards. The lack of electricity and internet made the separation from our doctors even harder,” recalls Anahit, Gavrusha's mother. On top of that, medical supplies were dwindling.
Since December 2022, when the blockade began, gas and electricity became unreliable. For Gavrusha's family, that meant depending on a humble wooden stove to keep warm. But they were caught between a rock and a hard place: that very stove could trigger Gavrusha's sensitive lungs if left on for too long.
A glimmer of hope emerged for Gavrusha with Ayo’s Breathe Easy project. Over 100 children in Artsakh found solace as much-needed asthma medications arrived, promising relief for around 3-4 months.
As Gavrusha's health was deteriorating, the medicine was very timely and much needed. “Over a span of eight months, Gavrusha was not able to access as many fresh fruits and vegetables as he needed. The absence of essential nutrients weakened his immune system. On top of his asthma, he got ill frequently… We continue to pray, hoping against hope that Gavrusha's condition will remain stable.”
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