Resilient mom is the caregiver for paralyzed husband and provider for daughter
Apr 27.2017 | Fulfilling DreamsZhen and Rong are married with one daughter. Rong previously worked as an electric welder. His wages might not be exceptionally high but they were enough to provide for the family. Rong had a slip and fall accident while working on a housing repair project in the 911 earthquake-struck area in 1999. He ended up paralyzed. Zhen exhausted all savings getting Rong to places for medical treatment. All kinds of expenses were driving the family to exhaustion.
When the inspector visited the family, what he saw was an old decaying low-hanging townhouse. Humidity permeated the house. Zhen carefully massaged Rong’s gradually atrophying legs. The family of three live in a space of under 5 pings (16.53 square meter) and sleeps on the same bed. They live off instant noodles and could barely get by. The Foundation went on to provide long-term living allowances for everyday expenses and medical treatment.
Everyday Zhen had to carry Rong up and down the stairs and take him to the hospital for rehabilitation while spending whatever time she could find assembling products for a factory outsourcing job. She often needs to stay up all night just to meet the deadlines and bring home an extra income. The inspector visits the family frequently and once saw Zhen hand-wash the clothes in a fierce winter. It turned out that their washing machine and boiler had broken down. The battery in Rong’s electric wheelchair was old and inefficient in its electricity storage function. The Foundation then replaced the washing machine, the boiler and the wheelchair battery. Zhen and her family were over the moon about receiving brand-new electric appliances. Their 13-year-old daughter hand-wrote a thank you letter to the Chairman of the Evergreen Group for giving them the best Christmas presents ever.
Rong had his left leg amputated because of bedsore ulceration-caused sepsis. The Foundation offered additional subsidies for his medical treatment. Zhen’s family circumstances were later reported by the media and a donation of about NT$600,000 were raised shortly. On hearing of the raised funds from the general public, Zhen told the inspector, “(We are) thankful for the Foundation’s help and care over the years. Now that we have received the donation to pay for the prosthesis, plus money from my assembling job and social benefits, we should be ok for the time being. Please stop giving us allowances and use them on those who need them the most, as resources don’t come by easily.” "
Currently, there are many people dependent on social welfare and resources. They rather live a hard life than go out and work. Some of them even resort to all means to apply for grants from as many charities as possible. Still some others are willing to yield such precious resources to those that really need them. Such is the spirit that deserves applause.