Miaoli, Taiwan
By Peng, Chih-Guang, The Liberty Times
Miaoli, April 30 (The Liberty Times) The Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF) honored a self-reliant mother in recognition of her hard work and perseverance in the face of distress.
A 43 year-old divorced mother, Mrs. Lin, who was diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, looked after her children alone. Thanking the TFCF for its years helping her family as well as the maternal help and government low-income subsidy given, Mrs. Lin expressed her appreciation to the TFCF and the help it gives to her family.
17 years ago, Mrs. Lin discovered she had breast cancer not long after giving a birth to her fourth child. In the divorce agreement with her ex-husband, Mrs. Lin's husband was granted half custody of the children. After taking into account the best interest of the children, Mrs. Lin brought all four of her children to live together despite the financial, personal and family difficulty involved with raising four children as a single mother battling breast cancer.
After Mrs. Lin moved back to TouFeng from TaoYuan, her family of five depended on the government low-income subsidy of NT 7,200 per month. Since 2001, the Miaoli Brahcn Office of TFCF has assisted financially with NT 1,750 per month to each of Mrs. Lin's children. Three years ago, Mrs. Lin was told that her cancer had spread. Her doctors found her under-nourished by only eating the leftovers collected from children’s schools in order to save food for her family.
Currently living with her four children, including one eleventh grader, one ninth, one eighth, and one third, Mrs. Lin has demonstrated great willpower in overcoming difficulties and has remained optimistic. According to Ms. Tang, Fong-Ching, the director of Miaoli Branch Office of TFCF, she felt deeply moved by seeing Mrs. Lin's ability to overcome hardships.
(Translated by Agnes Hsu)
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