H
Harold F ZagunisUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

Harold's Story

Harold joined Watsi on September 30th, 2021. Four years ago, Harold joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. Harold's most recent donation supported Hem, a rice farmer from Cambodia, to fund spinal surgery.

Impact

Harold has funded healthcare for 57 patients in 9 countries.

Patients funded by Harold

Hem is a 57-year-old rice farmer from Pailin Province in Cambodia. She is married and lives with her 64-year-old husband. They have four children. Her first and second children are rice farmers, her third child works for an organization, and her youngest child is a teacher. In her free time, she enjoys listening to monks praying and keeping up with the news. Hem has a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level of her lower spine, a condition in which a spinal disc presses on nearby nerves. She has experienced intermittent lower back pain for approximately three years, but about one month ago, the pain began radiating down the back of her left leg. She also experiences intermittent numbness in her left leg and weakness when extending her left toe. These symptoms have made walking and carrying out her daily activities as a farmer more difficult. Hem was referred to our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), by a relative. She traveled approximately seven hours from Pailin to seek specialized care. After evaluation, doctors recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on the affected nerves. Hem is scheduled to undergo laminectomy and decompression of the L4-L5 spine on August 17th. She has contributed $100 towards her treatment but needs an additional $1,400 in support to cover the cost of surgery and related care. The surgery aims to relieve pressure on the nerves and help reduce her back and leg symptoms, allowing her to walk more comfortably and return to farming and her normal daily activities. Hem said, “I hope that this surgery will relieve my back and leg pain, improve the numbness and weakness in my left leg, and help me walk more comfortably again. I wish to return to farming, and continue my normal daily activities.”

$864raised
$536to go

Huzeyefa is a playful and cheerful 13-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He enjoys reading religious books with his brother and sisters, and helping his parents in their farming work. Huzeyefa and his family live in the Central Region of Ethiopia. He is the third child in a family of six children, and is currently in Grade 3. Huzeyefa condition was first noticed by his aunt when he visted her in Addis Ababa. While bathing him, she noticed that something was quite not right. Concerned, she took him to the nearest health centre, where he was referred to a higher-level hospital for further evaluation. “I was very anxious. My heart was broken, and I couldn’t sleep well. I was very worried when I heard that Huzeyfa needed surgery," his aunt shared. Huzeyefa was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. The doctors placed Huzeyefa on a long surgery wait list, and informed the family that he might have to wait for up to a year to undergo surgery. This news worried his aunt because Huzeyfa needed to return home to continue his education. In addition, his family could not afford the cost of surgery at a private hospital. Three weeks later, Huzeyfa’s aunt received encouraging news. The higher-level hospital had referred Huzeyfa to our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre (BKMCM). At BKMCM, Huzeyfa was scheduled for surgery on August 10th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is helping Huzeyfa receive treatment, and is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Huzeyfa's aunt shared: "Thank you so much for all your support, kindness, and care. May God bless you with good health, long life, and abundant blessings. I am truly grateful to each one of you. My prayer is that Huzeyfa will recover well, continue his education, and grow into a successful person with a bright future. Thank you all so much."

$1,095raised
$198to go

Ester is a 13-year-old student from Burma. She lives with her parents, her younger brother, and two younger sisters in a village in Karen State, Burma. Ester and her three younger siblings go to school while their parents are small-scale farmers. They also raise chickens and pigs, and they forage for vegetables in the forest for their own consumption. They also have a small garden where they grow betel nut trees, and they sell some of the betel nuts to earn a small income. Sometimes, Ester’s father also finds work as an agricultural day laborer. In her free time, Ester loves to help her mother with household chores and also play with her friends at school. She wants to become a teacher when she grows up. Ester was born with an atrial septal defect (ASD), a condition in which a hole exists between the two upper chambers of the heart. Sometimes ASDs may close on their own during development, but sometimes this condition requires surgery to repair the hole and prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Ester is scheduled to undergo heart surgery on July 7th to correct her condition and improve her quality of life. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help cover the cost of Ester's procedure and care. Ester's mother shared, "I would like to thank BCMF and your donors for your kindness and willingness to support my daughter. Without you, my daughter would not receive treatment as the cost is too high for us, and we cannot borrow such a large amount of money from our neighbours. On behalf of our family and our daughter, thank you to your donors and everyone willing to help my daughter.”

$972raised
$528to go

Ye Min is a 19-year-old young man from Burma. He lives with his parents, younger brother, and a younger sister. His father is unemployed due to a previous accident. His mother works as an agricultural day laborer, while his brother looks after their neighbor’s cows, and his sister helps with household chores. Ye Min is unemployed. Their family’s combined monthly income is not enough to cover their daily expenses, and with Ye Min’s medical condition, the family is now indebted to neighbours and friends for loans they've received to help them finance medical and living expenses. Ye Min was diagnosed with a heart condition that requires valve replacement. Heart valves control the flow of blood between chambers, but certain conditions may narrow the heart valve or cause the blood to flow backwards. Normal valve function is necessary to prevent long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Currently, Ye Min experiences significant limitations in his energy and physical capacity. He often has to rest after walking for not more than five minutes. His condition has prevented him from working, and he feels stressed about his health. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to help fund a heart valve replacement for Ye Min. The treatment is scheduled to take place on June 27th at our medical partner's care center, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. Once completed, Ye Min will hopefully live more comfortably. Ye Min said, “Without surgery, I will not live longer, and now I cannot walk far or work due to my fatigue, which makes me sad.” His mother said, “I leave my son’s life in your hands. I believe that he would have died in Burma if we had not come here to receive surgery with the help of your organization. When I came here, I felt like half of my burden had been lifted when I saw that your staff were kind and caring. I would like to thank you very much ahead of time for being willing to help us.”

$978raised
$522to go

Eh is a 14-year-old girl from Burma who lives in an internally displaced persons camp in Karenni State with her sister’s family. She attends school there, where her sister works as a teacher, and her family relies on her brother-in-law’s work to meet their basic needs. Eh’s health challenges began in October 2025, when she developed persistent skin irritation and loss of appetite. At a local clinic, a physician identified signs of jaundice, including yellowing of her skin and eyes, and referred her for further care. Eh’s brother-in-law took her to a hospital at the end of January 2026, where she was diagnosed with a large cyst in her liver. Her doctor explained that the cyst is putting pressure on her liver and causing her symptoms, and that surgery is needed to remove it. Today, Eh continues to experience jaundice, skin irritation, and occasional headaches and stomach pain. Eh sought treatment through our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund. She is now scheduled to undergo surgery on March 24th to remove the cyst. Eh's family is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. This procedure will relieve the pressure on Eh's liver and help resolve her symptoms, allowing her to return to her daily life. Eh's brother-in-law says, “I consider Eh as my own daughter, as she has been living with me for six years, and I feel bad for her that she has to suffer from this disease. I also worry for my wife and my son, who are living in the camp while I accompany her [Eh] for her treatment. Thank you to all the organizations that support us with her treatment.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Devan is a five-year-old boy whose family hails from Elgeyo Marakwet County in Kenya. Devan lives with his aunt, who has been his primary caregiver since he was two years old. His aunt shared that Devan is the second-born child of her brother, and during Devan's early childhood, he and his sibling experienced significant neglect. Their parents were constantly in conflict and eventually separated, during which time the children were reportedly left without adequate food and care. This is when Devan's aunt chose to adopt and take responsibility for the two children. Devan's aunt is a single mother who separated from her husband about ten years ago. She has three biological children of her own and is now raising a total of five children. After leaving her marital home, she relocated to her maternal village, where she lives in a small rented house. To support her household, she earns a small income by washing clothes for neighbors. Despite her efforts, she reports that life has been extremely difficult, and meeting basic needs remains a daily struggle. Devan is currently enrolled in PP2 at a local school. While at school one day, he slipped and fell, sustaining an injury to his hand. He was initially taken to a nearby health facility; however, due to limited equipment and capacity, he was referred to our medical partner's care center, AIC Kapsowar Hospital. Upon arrival, Devan’s hand was swollen, painful, and he was unable to use the affected limb. An X-ray done showing a fracture of the upper arm bone. An orthopedic surgeon has recommended an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedure for proper management of the fracture. Devan's aunt, however, has no financial capacity to meet the cost of the required surgical procedure and associated hospital bills. She is therefore requesting financial support to enable Devan to receive the necessary treatment. Presently, it is difficult for him to use his hand, and he is in pain Fortunately, surgeons at our medical partner can help. On January 19th, Devan will undergo a fracture repair procedure, called an open reduction and internal fixation. The procedure will alleviate his pain and treat his condition. Now, our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $861 to fund this procedure. Devan's aunt says, "My nephew just had a fall, I didn't know it would come to a point when he would need surgery. Please help him so that when he fully recovers, he can go back to school."

$861raised
Fully funded