Saudi ambassador gives $1,000 to Sandejas fund

Saudi Arabian Ambassador Saleh Moh’d. Alghamdi has donated $1,000 for the hospitalization fund of Roberta Sandejas, the 21-year-old De La Salle University coed who became blind and severely disfigured after a mentally ill relative threw acid on her face last year.

In his letter to STAR publisher Max Soliven dated Aug. 29, Saleh said he commiserates with Roberta and her family for the ordeal that they have had to go through.

"I pray that she could embark on the trip at the earliest," he said.

Saleh said he learned of Roberta’s plight when he returned to the Philippines from his annual vacation and saw her letter on his desk, appealing for financial assistance for her to undergo further reconstructive surgery and treatment and, hopefully, restoration of her vision, in the United States.

In addition, a total of P182,200 and $40 was raised for Roberta’s hospitalization fund when the campaign ended last Aug. 22.

On that day, The STAR received P110,500 from various donors, in addition to the P71,700 and $40 that had earlier been donated to Roberta’s fund.

A lawyer, Guilileo Angeles, had also offered his professional services to Roberta for free.

Roberta has been in touch with Dr. Robert Spence, chief of the Department of Public Surgery of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Roberta said Spence has "been kind enough" to offer to try to do more reconstructive procedures on her.

Spence has assured Roberta he will refer her to the Wilmer Eye Institute in the same hospital so she may be examined to assess whether anything else can be done to restore her vision.

Roberta is grateful the surgeons have offered to operate on her for free.

However, the hospital expenses for her treatment, estimated between $25,000 and $30,000, will not be shouldered by the hospital.

The latest donors and the amount given are: Evangeline Chua-Photokina Mktg Corp, P5000; Anonymous, P2,000; William Pua, P2,000; Esperanza Pua, P2,000; Patricia Yu, P2,000; Dr. Braid, P5,000; B. Cu Unjieng & Sons Inc., P5,000; Vincent, Marco and Raymond Reyes, P1,500; PSY Makati, P10,000; Co Tuy, P2,000; Karen-Makati, P500; Emiliano Sy, P500; TSGM, P2,000; Anonymous, P500; Anonymous-Makati, P1,000; PKS-Makati, P10,000; UBF, P50,000; Anonymous-BE, P500; Anonymous-Batangas, P3,000; Aida Papa-Cainta, P5,000; and Anonymous, P1,000.