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Michelle Nyanzira, Chronicle reporter
A UK-BASED ZIMBABWEAN family is appealing for financial assistance for its 11-year-old daughter who is battling a mystery illness that has left her blind in one eye and paralysed from the waist down.

Leona Kadungure, a pupil at Hampshire School, has experienced eyesight problems, severe headaches and agonising stomach pains from last year.

The family has been to two hospitals in Southampton and in London and they could not find what was wrong with Leona.

Doctors have been confounded by the mystery illness and tests conducted by Southampton University hospital have been unable to present a diagnosis.

Ms Josie Hughes a friend to the family said Leona’s legs are paralysed and she is blind in one eye.

“Doctors have not been able to help as they cannot diagnose what the problem is,” said Ms Hughes.

Leona’s parents, Ernest and Blessing Kadungure, have turned to private healthcare in the hope of finding someone who can diagnose her condition and devise a course of treatment.

Mr Kadungure (37), telling the Daily Echo in UK, said Leona is scared out of her skin.

“I had a healthy child who now can’t walk or see out of one eye. It’s heartbreaking to watch our little girl with no quality of life at such a tender age.

“Leona’s nightmare began last January when she started suffering from mobility problems, visual disturbances and severe headaches that lasted for weeks. She was taken to hospital and underwent a series of tests.

“Doctors weren’t able to give us a diagnosis and she was discharged, with no treatment and before she regained her mobility.

“After a week she was walking again but her headaches persisted and her sight continued to deteriorate,” said Mr Kadungure.

In November the schoolgirl suffered another bout of paralysis, plus severe headaches and visual disturbances, and spent a further two days in hospital.

“A few weeks later she experienced weakness in her left arm, which was placed in a sling to ease the pain, he said.

In January, Leona was getting ready for bed when she started complaining of weakness in her legs. The following morning, she woke up to discover she was blind in her left eye and paralysed from the waist down.

Mr Kadungure said they tried to take out private healthcare insurance but they don’t cover people with pre-existing conditions. The only other option was to self-fund from their savings.

He said their friend Josie Hughes helped by creating a GoFundMe Me page for Leona.

“We’re eternally grateful to Josie and an army of well-wishers who have shown love by donating, sharing Leona’s campaign and giving us moral support.

“We pray the private healthcare journey we’ve embarked on will shed some light on her illness,” said Mr Kadungure to the Daily Echo.

The family is appealing to the public to help them to raise the money to get Leona treated

Those willing to help Leona can visit:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-leona-find-a-diagnosis-treatment?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet <https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/COb7CgZqqsO6x2VTNinCH> — @michieroxy.