Fighting on: Tan lying in bed while his 33-year-old wife Lee Qiao Yin helps him with his medication at their home in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Johor Baru, as Ho looks on.
JOHOR BARU: Four years ago, Tan Gim Wai was earning a steady income to support his family. But today, he is bedridden and paralysed from the waist down.
The 36-year-old, who was then working as a supervisor at a bread factory, suffered a spinal injury while helping to carry heavy baking supplies during a staff shortage.
“I was lugging a 50kg sack of sugar when I struck an object and collapsed.
“The accident turned my life upside down and forced me out of work.
“Despite undergoing surgery, my condition deteriorated and I can no longer feel my body from the waist down,” he said in an interview.
As the sole breadwinner, Tan’s sudden loss of income puts his family in financial hardship. He said he could no longer support his wife, three young children and elderly parents.
The family has since made painful decisions to cope, placing their six-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son at a children’s home, while their eldest son, aged 15, is staying in Penang under the care of Tan’s parents.
The teenager has also taken up a part-time job after school to help ease the family’s financial burden.
“After the accident and before I became bedridden, I learned leaf carving at home to earn some income, but it was insufficient to cover our expenses. I have also exhausted all my insurance compensation.
“Currently, my wife is doing two jobs as a cleaner and also making leaf carvings to earn a living, while taking care of my daily needs. But it is not enough,” he said.
Tan said they are struggling to even cover daily living and medical expenses, let alone set aside funds for further surgery, which could cost up to RM150,000, excluding post-operation rehabilitation.
“I am still young and have my whole life ahead of me. I hope to one day stand up again, bring my children back and unite my whole family,” Tan said.
In his search for help, Tan found support from Yayasan Kebajikan Suria Johor Baru.
Its founder James Ho said the organisation has been assisting Tan for the past few years, providing monthly aid of RM150, along with food and medical supplies.
“Starting this month, we increased the monthly aid to RM550, which will be auto-debited until the end of this year and reviewed thereafter,” he said, adding that the foundation had also helped to settle Tan’s outstanding rent.
Ho said the organisation is now assisting the family with fundraising for the surgery and has been in touch with Tan’s doctor to explore more affordable post-surgery physiotherapy options.
“We understand that another RM30,000 to RM40,000 is estimated for his rehabilitation, but we will try to work out a way for him to be referred to a public hospital to cut costs,” he added.
Those who wish to find out more may contact Ho at 019-772 4172.
