Late last year, Singapore banned e-scooters on footpaths after a string of accidents involving personal mobility devices (PMD).
57-year-old Madam Ang was a victim of one such PMD accident in Sep 2016.
Unfortunately, the accident left her with brain damage and she is now unable to communicate. She also requires assistance for simple daily activities.
Her hospitalisation left the family struggling with hefty medical bills.
After hearing of Madam Ang’s unfortunate plight, 13-year-old Sophia decided to do something about it.
With her mother’s help, she started a crowdfunding campaign to alleviate Madam Ang’s financial burden.
Eventually, the girl managed to raise $164,129 for the 57-year-old and her family.
Sophia may just be 13 years old, but she felt a strong calling to help after learning of Madam Ang’s accident.
Hence, she started a crowdfunding page for Madam Ang in August.
Although she describes herself as a shy girl, her bid to raise funds for Madam Ang showed the courage and drive she had within her.
According to The Straits Times (ST), Sophia was extremely driven by the cause and worked hard to raise funds. She even engaged her school and wrote e-mails to strangers.
With the help of her family, Sophia raised money through her school, social media, and from word of mouth.
They also actively publicised the campaign at clinics and eateries.
Their hard work eventually paid off. In just 2 months, Sophia received donations from 1,459 contributors amounting to a whopping $164,129.
Sophia said the journey taught her how fundraising requires one to be humble, thick-skinned, and proactive.
Back in 2016, Madam Ang was going about her errands in Pasir Ris when she was struck by an e-scooter, reported ST.
The impact caused her to fall, with her head hitting the ground. To stem the bleeding in her brain, Madam Ang had to undergo emergency surgery.
However, she has to live with brain damage, likely for the rest of her life. It’s been 4 years, and she is unable to speak, read, or write.
She also needs help with simple daily activities like eating, getting dressed, and going to the bathroom.
The PMD accident also left Madam Ang’s family with heavy financial burden.
Although the court awarded her $445,000 in damages, the e-scooter rider responsible did not have sufficient money to pay the sum and has not offered compensations, reports ST.
Hospitalisation, rehabilitation, and living costs had reportedly cost $60,000.
The family also had to hire a domestic helper to take care of Madam Ang’s daily needs.
For Madam Ang’s husband, Mr Leong, who makes $2,000 to $3,000 a month, this was a huge struggle.
Although Sophia’s crowdfunding effort is not a long-term solution, they definitely help alleviate the family’s financial predicament significantly.
Mdm Ang is also currently receiving medical subsidies under the Community Health Assistance Scheme (CHAS).
Kudos to Sophia for all that she has done for Madam Ang.
Her hard work and drive for the cause is something we could all learn from and shows age is nothing but a number if we are determined to help others
Our hearts go out to Madam Ang and her family who continue to suffer the consequences years after the accident.
We hope Sophia’s story inspires more people to take the initiative to help families in need.
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Featured image adapted from GIVE.asia.
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