Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

“What do the patients and their families need the most to get through this difficult time?” This is the question Tzu Chi volunteers have been focusing on since the water park explosion in New Taipei City on June 27, 2015. They have been visiting them in different hospitals ever since.

One patient named Liu, 25, suffers burns to 70 percent of his body and is in critical condition. His parents, who own a vineyard in Nantou, central of Taiwan, stay at his bedside. As well as being concerned about their beloved son’s injury, they worry about the harvest. They cannot leave their son and are very anxious that they might lose the whole year of hard work. Tzu Chi volunteers from their community heard their story and decided to help them.

“We all want to help them collect and sell the grapes. So the parents can concentrate on taking care of their son,” said volunteer Lu Li-yun.

They have harvested 4,200 kilograms of grapes; all were purchased by Tzu Chi volunteers. The grapes were sent to 57 hospitals around Taiwan as a gesture of appreciation to the medical staff who have been working very hard to treat the survivors of the water park explosion.

The Foundation has set up a dedicated telephone line for people affected by the explosion to seek assistance. One patient called and said he had not received a cash distribution as a gift of blessing from Tzu Chi; volunteers from his community went for a home visit. A mother also contacted Tzu Chi and said that she is a single mother and needs help to take care of her injured child and support for the family. The Foundation has listed the household as a long-term care family.

In different ways, Tzu Chi volunteers try to provide assistance and bring love and care to patients who have suffered burns and to their families.


Water park explosion relief summary (7/6):

1. Cash distribution as a blessing gift
As July 6, volunteers had distributed a total of NT$10,820,000 to 405 patients. They also gave consolation money of NT$20,000 to the families of two patients who passed away and to one family to help their living costs.

2. Number of Tzu Chi volunteers mobilized
As the afternoon of July 6, a total of 2,811 volunteers had been mobilized.

Date Location Mobilized volunteers Sub-total 06/27 Northern Taiwan 143 143 06/28 Around Taiwan 504 504 06/29 Around Taiwan 317 317 06/30 Around Taiwan 371 371 07/01 Around Taiwan 260 260 07/02 Around Taiwan 224 224 07/03 Around Taiwan 311 311 07/04 Around Taiwan 250 250 07/05 Around Taiwan 201 201 07/06 Northern Taiwan 204 225 Southern Taiwan 18 Eastern Taiwan 3

By Tzu Chi Foundation