Changhua Hospital, Taiwan. Photo: Google Maps
Changhua Hospital, Taiwan. Photo: Google Maps

A 32-year-old Indonesian domestic caregiver in Changhua, Taiwan, who was facing imminent paralysis from ruptured discs in the cervical spine was given urgent medical treatment without being asked to pay the sky-high medical fee in advance.

The woman began suffering from back pain shortly after she started working in Taiwan. After the pain became so severe she could not get out of bed, her employer took her to Changhua Hospital, The Liberty Times reported.

An examination showed that she was suffering from ruptured cervical discs that had to be operated on within 24 hours, or she could become paralyzed.

The woman told the doctor that she was a mother of two and would like to be able to raise her children herself. However, she did not think she could afford the medical fees if she were to have the operation in Taiwan.

After learning of the maid’s story, the head of the hospital’s department of neurologyChao Shao-ching, immediately operated on her, saying life mattered first and the medical cost could be absorbed later on or written off as bad debt.

The operation was successful, but by the time the maid was recovering well, her medical bills had reached NT$270,000 (nearly US$9,000).

With the help of friends, she raised NT$50,000 and received another NT$10,000 in relief from the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation.

A social worker at Changhua Hospital pitched in by reaching several charitable funds, which eventually helped cover all the medical fees, plus an air ticket to Indonesia where she could reunite with her family.

The woman said she was thankful for the assistance Taiwanese people had given her.

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