Readers of The Royal Gazette have stumped up more than $37,000 to help pay for care for a 98-year-old widow who was ruled ineligible for state financial aid.The plight of “Mrs O”, who has dementia and diabetes and was living alone in her rundown family home, touched the hearts of citizens here and abroad.Donations flooded in after a fund was set up to help the frail senior and a total of $37,501.70 was raised before the March 15 deadline for giving.Mrs O is now being looked after in a residential facility. The LCCA (Lady Cubitt Compassionate Association), which agreed to collect the donations, is using the funds raised to pay for 60 percent of the facility’s $5,000-a-month fees, while Mrs O’s friend and former employer “Ms H” is providing 40 percent.Ms H told this newspaper: “She is being well cared for, as she deserves to be. The care facility has offered a full-time placement.”Veronica Harvey, the LCCA’s executive director, said: “The LCCA was able to offer our services for the collection of funds and we sincerely thank the public for the very generous donations they contributed toward Mrs O’s ongoing care.“The LCCA strives to assist members of the community who are in need and the public may make a general donation to the LCCA at any time so that we can succeed in assisting those of us who are less fortunate.”This newspaper revealed in December how Mrs O was in desperate need of round-the-clock care but Government wouldn’t pay for it because although she owned no property and had no savings, she had a “life interest” in her home, allowing her to live there until her death.Ms H, 60, who is no relation to Mrs O, was paying for three hours of professional care a day for her friend but could no longer afford the expense, as she herself was suffering from a serious illness which required costly medical care overseas.After seeing our story, reader Liz Stewart offered to help and encouraged her contacts in international business to give generously to the fund for Mrs O.Ms Stewart said some companies, including Alterra, ACE and Ariel Re, matched the funds being donated by their employees and ACE held a denim day.Individuals who wanted to assist the elderly lady dug deep into their pockets too.One reader told us she was making a donation because she was “appalled that this poor woman has been living like this”.Another wrote: “I would like to pledge some money towards helping Mrs O and her caregivers. Well done for bringing this issue to people’s attention. Hopefully others, as well as Mrs O, will benefit as time goes on.”Since our initial article was published, Families Minister Glenn Blakeney has said the law will be changed so seniors who have an interest in a property will be eligible for financial aid from Government.l The Royal Gazette has not printed the names of Mrs O and Ms H in order to protect the privacy of Mrs O.l Ms Stewart recently set up a charity called Action on Alzheimers & Dementia to provide financial, emotional and informational support. For more information e-mail alzbermuda@yahoo.com or call 538-5494.