Zara's Story

Zara Jaclyn Manzur came into this world alongside her twin sister Suraya, and from her very first days she brought a joy that was impossible to contain. She had the most infectious smile and the chubbiest cheeks. You simply could not look at her without smiling back. She loved playing her little piano, swinging in her swing, and visiting the beluga whales at Mystic Aquarium. At the beach, the sound of the waves would lull her right to sleep.
 
In her short life, she was everything. A twin sister, a beloved daughter, and a little girl who lit up every room she entered.
 
Zara was also a fighter. Shortly after birth, she was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder, a rare condition that affected her muscle tone, feeding, hearing, and development. From her very first weeks, she faced challenges that most of us will never know. But she never faced them alone.

In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital, a nurse named Melissa was the first to truly see Zara. To understand her needs and wrap her family in the kind of support that made the impossible feel manageable. She was the first of many. Over the course of Zara's life, an extraordinary team of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other specialists became woven into the fabric of her family's world.

They didn't just treat Zara—they coached, guided, and loved an entire family through one of the hardest journeys.

Zara passed away before her second birthday. But the people who cared for her left a mark that will never fade.
 
Why We Started This Foundation

The Zara Manzur Foundation exists because of the healers.

Zara and her family were fortunate to have access to some of the most skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals imaginable—and that access changed everything.

The nurses who anticipated her needs before anyone else could.

The physical and occupational therapists who showed her parents how to help her thrive.

The speech-language pathologists and audiologists who worked tirelessly to help her
communicate and connect.

Without them, her family would have been lost.

The Zara Manzur Foundation was start to honor every single one of them—and to make sure that more young people who feel called to this work can actually get there.

The Zara Manzur Foundation offers scholarships for current and graduating students from Groton, Connecticut who are pursuing careers in healthcare and rehabilitative fields; we offer annual scholarships to help close the gap between ambition and opportunity.

Zara's light lives on in every healer we help get there.

About the Foundation

The Zara Manzur Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Mystic, Connecticut. We are an all-volunteer organization—every dollar donated goes toward scholarships and our mission.