Employer raised almost $100K from public to cover their helper’s medical and repatriation costs after she suffered brain aneurysm

SINGAPORE: Kindhearted Singaporeans have given close to $100,000 in just two days, towards the hefty medical and repatriation costs for a domestic helper who suffered a sudden brain aneurysm.

29-year-old Indonesia Saripah Fitriyani has only been working in Singapore for three months after being employed by Nadiah Arinah Mohamed Sallehuddin in December. Arinah said Saripah quickly became a valued family member and doted on Arinah’s two young children.

Saripah, who supports her two children back in Indonesia, was not known to have any pre-existing health conditions. However, on 5 March, she suffered from a headache that was so severe that she had to be hospitalised.

Doctors subsequently diagnosed her with a brain aneurysm, and she underwent surgery the next day. She was put on a ventilator after that and fed through a tube.

As of Monday (27 Mar), Saripah no longer needs to rely on a ventilator and can eat solid foods, but she still cannot form complete sentences or recognize other people. The once cheerful woman is also unable to move the left side of her body due to the brain damage she suffered.

Arinah’s family is overwhelmed with the hefty bills they face for Saripah’s care. The helper’s total medical expenses are projected to hit a whopping $150,000, as she cannot qualify for subsidies. On top of this, it will cost $18,000 for Saripah to be repatriated to Indonesia for her to be with her family and receive long-term care.

Revealing that the mandatory insurance they purchased for Saripah only covers $15,000 of hospitalisation costs per year and $10,000 for repatriation expenses, Arinah said that her family has paid some costs out of pocket but “can barely afford most of her medical bills.”

Appealing for funds to pay for Saripah’s medical bills, Arinah said: “In order to ensure that Saripah has the best chance of a full recovery, we are doing all that we can to assist her. We’re asking for donations from anyone who feels able and willing to help us in our efforts.”

Singaporeans have already raised close to two-thirds of the $150,000 target Arinah appealed for. Public members have given $61,045 on the crowdfunding platform Go Get Funding, with $32,364 raised offline. The current total of $93,409 has been raised in just two days.

Most personal donations have ranged between $5 to $50, with at least one generous donor giving $1,000.

The kindness and generosity of strangers have touched Arinah and her family. She said: “I thought, if I could raise S$20,000 in two days, I’d appreciate it.”

Arinah added that she would transfer any donations that exceed the medical and repatriation costs to Saripah’s family in Indonesia so that they can continue to take care of her.

Click HERE to join the fundraising effort.