Chuang Wen-shang, a 62-year-old man in Miaoli County’s Nanjhuang Township, makes a living doing odd jobs, but after developing oral cancer he has been unable to make ends meet. After receiving two chemotherapy treatments, he lacked the physical strength and financial wherewithal to continue the treatments. During cold weather, he did not have the strength to gather firewood or buy gas, and he even had to wash himself in cold water. When he receives donations from outsiders, he cannot stop himself from breaking down in tears.
Not long ago, a Liberty Times reporter received a report about Chuang’s difficulties, and on March 5 contacted Miaoli County Councilor Chen Kuang-hsuan and Village Warden Chen Ching-tseng in Nanjhuang Townhip’s Shihshan Village. Together, they visited Chuang in his corrugated hut. The hut was full of smoke from burning wood and there was nothing edible on the table.
Chen Kuang-hsuan said that he would help Chuang apply for the appropriate subsidies, but that the number of poor residents in the county kept increasing while the county finances were in trouble as budgets continued to shrink. He also said that it would be necessary to rely on non-governmental organizations, elected representatives and even people from the online community for help, and that he hoped the government would do more.
Photo: Cheng Hung-ta, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭鴻達
(Liberty Times, translated by Perry Svensson)
苗栗縣南庄鄉六十二歲鄉民莊文上打零工維生，卻因罹患口腔癌斷炊，在兩次化療後，再也無體力與財力復診。寒流來襲期間，他無力撿柴火、買瓦斯，連洗多日冷水澡，接受外界善款時，孤苦的他不禁淚崩。
Photo: Cheng Hung-ta, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者鄭鴻達
本報記者日前接獲通報，得知莊文上的困境，三月五日與苗栗縣議員陳光軒、獅山村長陳清增等人，拜訪他獨居的鐵皮屋，只見屋內燒木柴的煙霧瀰漫，桌上也沒可食用的餐點。
陳光軒說，將協助莊文上申請相關補助，而縣內窮苦鄉親日增，但縣庫窘困，預算減少，得靠民間團體、民代甚至網友幫忙，希望政府要更努力些。
(自由時報記者鄭鴻達)
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