Singaporean family foots S$70,000 cancer treatment bill of domestic helper, goes viral on social media
Wati had been working for Chen’s family for over 13 years
A Singaporean family's heartwarming gesture to help their domestic helper of 13 years is going viral on social media. Netizens are hailing Singaporean woman, Chen Daimei, for her generosity.
Daimei, not only paid the S$70,000 (Dh 191,000) brain cancer treatment bill, but also hired another helper to take care of her.
In an interview with the Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper, Shin Min Daily News on July 14, Chen, 60, mentioned how she has known her Indonesian domestic helper Purwati, also known as Wati, for more than 15 years.
Chen mentioned that on February 10, the first day of Chinese New Year, Wati had experienced a splitting headache while she was about to make coffee.
The pain was extreme and rare for the 50-year-old Wati, who couldn’t stand up straight due to the pain.
Chen, who described Wati as “physically healthy” was shocked and rushed Wati to the Singapore General hospital (SGH). Unfortunately, they were met with upsetting news as the doctors informed that Wati had a 2.9cm tumour in her brain.
Wati then underwent two surgeries. A craniotomy the next day of her diagnosis to remove the tumour, and another along with electrotherapy and chemotherapy treatments for the cancer. Almost half of her S$130,000 (Dh 355,000) bill was claimable under her insurance. And that was when Chen and her husband decided to sponsor the remaining S$70,000 (Dh191,000).
Chen went one step further and even hired another domestic helper from Myanmar to take care of Wati and help with the housework.
In the interview, Wati even mentioned that Chen was close to her and even made a point to fly with her to her hometown in East Java for her wedding in 2012. She said that Chen treated her “practically like a daughter”. Chen even served as a witness for the ceremony in 2012, and even contributed some funds.
According to the report by Shin Min Daily News, Chen said she believes those who are sick need the companionship and support of their family the most, and that’s why she flew out Wati’s husband and brother twice, to visit her. Chen even let them stay at her own home.
On her decision to help Wati, Chen said that she did what she was capable of providing, and felt it was a “small gesture”.
Netizens praised Chen’s family on social media saying, “Bless you, Chen Daimei.” Another comment said, “She is so lucky and blessed to have such an awesome boss.”
One netizen even stated, “Do good things to others and good will happen to you.”