H
Hilary Anne HarrisUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Hilary's Story

Hilary joined Watsi on November 21st, 2015. Ten years ago, Hilary joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Hilary's most recent donation supported Nilo, a hardworking father from the Philippines, to fund gallbladder removal surgery.

Impact

Hilary has funded healthcare for 138 patients in 12 countries.

Patients funded by Hilary

Rachel is an active and social 12-year-old girl from Kenya. Despite her challenges, she remains hopeful and optimistic about her future. Rachel is currently in Grade 7, but has paused her studies due to her medical condition. Two days after Rachel was born, her mother noticed that Rachel's head was enlarging and that her eyes appeared sunken. Rachel was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain and increases intracranial pressure. Rachel underwent shunt insertion surgery to drain the excess fluid, but the shunt failed within days. Rachel and her mother then journeyed 130 kilometers to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital. There, Rachel underwent a successful shunt revision surgery, and her mother’s joy was beyond words. They returned home, and life improved significantly. Unfortunately, hydrocephalus shunts can become blocked over time, making revision surgeries necessary. Rachel has had two more surgeries at three and seven years of age. She now requires another shunt revision surgery, so that she can resume her daily activities like other children her age. Without surgery, Rachel will experience severe physical and developmental delays. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $719 to cover the cost of surgery for Rachel that will treat her hydrocephalus. The procedure is scheduled to take place on February 13th and will drain the excess fluid from Rachel's brain. Rachel shares, "I am in pain, I haven't been able to go to school. I want to get better so that I can continue learning. I look forward to leaving the hospital feeling better so that I can go home, play with my siblings, and attend school."

$719raised
Fully funded

Naw Paw is a 55-year-old woman from Burma. She has been living in the refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand, with her husband, her son, her daughter, and her grandson for more than 20 years. Naw Paw is primarily a homemaker. Together with her son, she assists in growing and selling vegetables and produce from their garden. Her daughter is also a homemaker and cares for Naw Paw’s grandson, while her husband volunteers at the camp church. The family’s limited income from vegetable growing allows them to cover only basic daily living expenses. In her free time, Naw Paw enjoys playing with her grandson, tending to the garden and speaking with neighbours. Watching her plants grow brings her happiness. However, ongoing health issues and financial uncertainty have caused her significant stress. In June 2025, Naw Paw reported lower back pain and pain in her right lower abdomen. An ultrasound was performed, which revealed gallstones. Naw Paw has been advised to undergo a cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. If left untreated, Naw Paw's symptoms will continue to worsen and put him at risk for further health complications in the future. After seeking treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF), Naw Paw is scheduled to undergo her cholecystectomy on January 12th. BCMF is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of Naw Paw's procedure and care. Naw Paw shared, “I am always worrying about where I can find more money, especially with my health problems. I feel very relieved and thankful to receive support from the donors during this time.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Amanuel is a cheerful nine-year-old boy from Ethiopia, who loves caring for animals. He also likes riding his bicycle and playing with other children, especially his younger sister. Amanuel lives with his parents and his youngest sister and is the third child in the family. His older brother and sister live with the family's relatives. Amanuel’s father works as a daily laborer in construction, while his mother is a home maker. Although his father tries to support the family, they sometimes struggle to meet medical expenses. To help with household needs, Amanuel’s mother occasionally bakes injera, a traditional bread, for sale. Amanuel’s mother was unaware of his condition until he was three years old. During a visit to a health center, the doctor noticed that Amanuel’s right testicle had not descended. He explained the condition to Amanuel’s mother, and advised waiting to see if the testicle would descend naturally. If it did not, a hospital referral would be necessary. At the time, Amanuel’s mother was overwhelmed, as she had just given birth to her youngest daughter, and felt anxious about the situation. As a result, she did not take him to the hospital. Over the next five years, she worried about her son’s condition, hoping for the right opportunity to seek help. Eventually, she returned to the health center, and after further consultations, they were referred to a larger hospital. After a six-month wait, Amanuel’s mother received a call from the referral hospital informing her that they needed to go to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM) for further evaluation. After a thorough assessment by the BKMCM staff, the hospital scheduled a surgical appointment for Amanuel, marking a hopeful step toward addressing his condition. Amanuel was diagnosed with cryptorchidism, a condition in which one or both of the testicles remains undescended. If left untreated, Amanuel has an increased risk of developing hernias, testicular cancer, and fertility problems in the future. Amanuel is receiving assistance from our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare. He is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on December 18th at BKMCM. Now, Amanuel's family needs help to raise $754 to cover the total cost of his procedure and care. Amanuel's mother said, "I hope that my child will be healthy, allowing me to sleep peacefully. I am deeply grateful to BKMCM and the generous donors for their incredible service in making this possible."

$754raised
Fully funded

Sok Ny is 31 years old and a father of three from Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. In his free time, he likes listening to the news on his phone and spending time with his friends and family. Sok Ny has had knee pain for seven years, which developed naturally. Then, in August 2024, he fell in the bathroom, hitting his right knee. This caused severe pain and swelling, leaving him unable to walk for five days. Afterward, he could walk with crutches and sought care at a referral hospital, but they could not provide a diagnosis. He was then referred to a hospital in Phnom Penh, where he underwent surgery and biopsy of the right tibial plateau, and had a begign tumor removed from his right leg. Following the procedure, he developed a wound on his right tibia with pain and discharge. This makes it difficult to walk and he has been unable to work in the corn fields. Sok Ny traveled three hours to our medical partner’s care center, Kien Khleang National Rehabilitation Centre, to receive treatment. On October 16th, with the help of our medical partner, Children’s Surgical Centre, he will undergo surgery to heal his wound. After recovery, he hopes to walk easily again, allowing him to return to work and perform daily activities. Sok Ny’s family can contribute $25 towards the surgery and post-op care, but needs help raising the remaining $691 in funds. Sok Ny said: "After the surgery I hope that I will no longer have pain so I can return to my work and earn money to support my family."

$691raised
Fully funded

Hannah is a mother of four from Kenya. Her husband, the family’s sole breadwinner, earns a modest income through casual construction work. Their older children, aged 14, 6, and 2, are currently under the care of a relative while he stays at the hospital to support Hannah and their newborn. Hannah is grateful to be alive after narrowly escaping death on the 22nd of November 2025. She was on her way home on a motorbike with her six-year-old son when a lorry lost control and struck them. At the time, Hannah was 33 weeks pregnant. Although both of them survived the crash, they were left badly injured. Well-wishers rushed them to a nearby hospital, where they received first aid. Over the next five days, Hannah and her son remained in severe pain with no improvement. Concerned, they came to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kijabe Hospital, for further evaluation. Scans revealed that Hannah had a fractured right leg requiring surgery. Even more alarming, it was discovered that her water had broken during the accident, something she had not noticed, putting her unborn baby at serious risk. Hannah and her son were immediately admitted for urgent care. On the same day, Hannah underwent an emergency caesarean section to safely deliver her baby, followed by external fixation surgery on her leg. Her son also received external fixation surgery to treat his leg injury. Thankfully, all procedures were successful, and after one week, both mother and child are making commendable progress. Hannah still requires a skin graft on her injured leg. She continues to experience significant pain and swelling, and the procedure is essential for her recovery. Unfortunately, her insurance coverage has been exhausted after paying for her surgeries and her son’s. With three outstanding medical bills, Hannah's and those of her two sons, her husband has been unable to gather the funds needed for the upcoming surgery. Fortunately, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Hannah receive treatment. On December 10th, surgeons will perform a debridement and skin graft procedure to help heal her leg and regain her mobility. Now, Hannah needs help to fund this $1,185 procedure. Hannah shared, “I am still frightened when I recall how close we came to losing our lives. My greatest hope is to walk again and be present for my children."

$1,185raised
Fully funded