Established with the approval of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2017, the Love Helps Public Welfare Trust is managed by Cathay United Bank. The fund operates based on social welfare regulations, aiming to support patients suffering from cancer, rare diseases, and serious illnesses, helping them actively face treatment challenges and overcome difficulties to regain hope for life. The fund’s resources come from donations by kind-hearted enterprises, organizations, and individuals and are fully used to support patients in completing treatment and returning to normal life, allowing love and hope to be continuously passed on in adversity.
Emergency Assistance to Help Patients Overcome Difficulties
Currently, eligible patients can apply for emergency relief funds through clinical referrals from physicians or nurses cooperating with Patientsforce Clinical. This aims to reduce the medical burden and help patients focus on treatment and recovery. Over the past seven years, it was found that many patients missed out on social assistance resources due to various reasons preventing them from obtaining government-issued low-income certificates. Therefore, this year, the fund has relaxed the application conditions, allowing a “Declaration of Income” signed by medical or caregiving personnel to serve as the application basis for those unable to provide low-income certificates. It is hoped that this adjustment will provide substantial assistance to more patients in distress, helping them regain hope for life.
Real Stories Witnessing the Continuation of Hope
The Love Helps Public Welfare Trust has supported nearly a hundred patients, alleviating their financial pressure and enabling them to receive treatment with peace of mind thanks to the fund’s support.
Case Sharing
- Applicant Information: Mr. Chen, aged 59, suffers from Fabry disease combined with mental illness and multiple physical disabilities. He receives treatment at National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital and applied for assistance through clinical care personnel referral.
- Treatment Status: Mr. Chen requires treatment once every two weeks and resides in a nursing home for the elderly, incurring a monthly out-of-pocket cost of 3,000 TWD. He needs to bear the costs of caregiving, daily necessities, and medical supplies but lacks guardianship assistance in daily life.
- Reason for Application: Mr. Chen is a low-income household without appropriate caregiving provided by a guardian and currently requires urgent medical expenses during treatment.
- Family Status: Mr. Chen is a low-income household and has a brother who is also a rare disease patient, mainly cared for by his brother who works in manual labor.
- Review Results: Emergency assistance approved, considering the lack of legal guardianship during the treatment period. The primary medical care personnel assisted in the application.
