A young woman in Tainan has signed up to sponsor a 26-year-old man who was unable to fulfill a date with her four years ago because he fell into a coma after falling from a scaffold while working.
The woman, identified as Hsiao-wen (小雯), was the first to respond to a "comatose sponsorship campaign" launched by the Creation Social Welfare Foundation (CSWF), a spokesman for the non-profit organization said yesterday.
According to the spokesman, Hsiao-wen learned through a newspaper report about six months ago that her former boyfriend, identified as Chia-chuan (佳權), has been in a coma for four years.
According to the report, the Tainan County Government arranged for Chia-chuan to take shelter at the CSWF's comatose care center in Tainan City after his mother died early this year and his father was incapacitated by a liver disease.
Through the report, Hsiao-wen came to know that Chia-chuan had had a critical accident on the very day of their date four years ago.
"She immediately came to our Tainan care center. She broke into tears upon seeing the bed-ridden Chia-chuan," the spokesman said, adding that Hsiao-wen has since visited the center frequently to care for Chia-chuan.
Hsiao-wen had told CSWF staff that she was too shy to telephone Chia-chuan after waiting for him for several hours on the night of their date. She took Chia-chuan's absence as a sign to part ways. She felt sad and embarrassed and decided to forget the brief episode.
After learning of Chia-chuan's tragedy, Hsiao-wen told CSWF staff that no matter the future, she would donate a portion of her salary per month to sponsor Chia-chuan for the rest of her life.
The CSWF has called on local people to sponsor one or more of the 200-plus comatose people staying at its care centers around the nation.
"Warm-hearted people are welcome to sponsor one or more of the 216 comatose people at our 11 care centers, all of whom come from low-income families," said the CSWF spokesman.
They include young girls, middle-aged men and those in their 70s and 80s.
"Their families have endured exceptional hardships. In addition to struggling to make a living, they have to take time out to care for these people," the spokesman said.
Some of those who have stayed at the care centers for more than 10 years are in even worse shape as their families have long lost contact with them. "They need concern and support from kind-hearted sponsors," the spokesman added.
Would-be sponsors are welcome to adopt any one or more patients at CSWF centers in their vicinity, the spokesman said, adding that sponsors can freely donate money and visit the centers to see their adopted wards.
"We'll not impose any requirements on the amount of money each sponsor has to donate per month nor will we ask the sponsors to work at the centers for a specified amount of time," the spokesman said. "They can just visit the centers to pray for the people there or comfort their families."
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