“Hsiao Wei” (小薇), a 17-year-old who suffers from a rare disease, yesterday went to the legislature to thank Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Hong-chi (林鴻池) for his help raising NT$18.39 million (US$608,000) for her treatment.
After the recent death of her parents, Hsiao Wei lives with her grandparents on NT$13,000 in monthly subsidies from the government and a home mortgage loan.
At a press conference Lin held for Hsiao Wei on Sept. 21, Lin said Hsiao Wei’s condition — the first recorded case of congenital interstitial cell of cajal hyperplasia in the world — was incurable and could only be controlled by continuing to cut away the tumors that grow in her mouth and digestive system.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Hsiao Wei’s grandmother also said that Hsiao Wei’s condition necessitated an organ transplant.
After about 12 surgeries, including a colostomy, a right hemicolectomy, an ileostomy and biopsies of the ileum, the high-school girl was left with a small intestine only 10cm long, a mouthful of dentures and one-third of her stomach, Lin said.
Hujiang High School said a total of NT$18.9 million was donated for Hsiao Wei’s treatment after Lin held the press conference for her, mostly from small donations.
Accompanied by her grandmother, as well as Hujiang High School principal Wang Li-chun (王禮駿), Hujiang student affairs division chief Hu Mao-lin (胡茂林) and Wang Pei-ling (王珮玲), another division chief, Hsiao Wei thanked Lin at the legislature.
Minister of Education Wu Ching-ji (吳清基) donated NT$80,000 for Hsiao Wei’s cause on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Wang said, adding that Lin, when accepting Hsiao Wei’s thanks, had donated another NT$50,000 on the spot.
“Taiwanese are very compassionate and a lot of people care for me and gave me encouragement,” Hsiao Wei said, thanking all those who helped her.
At school, people she did not know came up to her to say something nice, which made her feel cared about, Hsiao Wei said, adding that she was also thankful to her grandmother, who never gave up on her.
“Grandmother told me that if I ever had a chance to make money, I should give something back to society in return, which I will,” Hsiao Wei said.
After her visit to the legislature, Hsiao Wei headed straight to National Taiwan University Hospital.
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