The sad story of Chen Deping, a 19-year-old from Hubei who broke her back trying to escape from a prostitution gang, touched the hearts of South China Morning Post readers. The Post has received generous donations from readers and touching messages of support for the young woman, who travelled to Guangzhou in the hope of earning money for her family but fell victim to violent criminals who forced her into sexual slavery. By yesterday morning, $98,000 had been donated. The money will be used for an operation which Ms Chen needs to give her a chance to walk again. Luo Dixin , the doctor overseeing her care at the Guangdong No2 People's Hospital, said pins could be inserted into Ms Chen's lumbar vertebrae to repair the damage. The operation is expected to cost 50,000 yuan, if imported products are used, and another 10,000 yuan is needed for a follow-up operation. Excess funds received by the Post will be used to pay for medicine Ms Chen needs and for her rehabilitation. We would appreciate feedback from our readers on how best to spend any money left over. Funds could be used to pay for some of Ms Chen's living expenses so that she can fully recover and find employment. Another option is to donate the money to a credible charity catering for the needs of troubled migrant workers. The Post will keep in touch with Ms Chen and publish updates on her progress, both in the newspaper and on our website at www.scmp.com . We will also keep readers informed of how the money is being spent. From this afternoon, please look for the special link on scmp.com, which can be accessed free of charge. Donations can be made to an HSBC Hong Kong dollar account in the name of SCMP Charities Ltd, account number 502-676588-001. Log onto scmp.com for further details. We would like to thank readers for their heart-warming response to Ms Chen's plight.
