Chen Shu-chu, the vegetable vendor named by Time Magazine as one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2010, underwent surgery Monday for varicose veins just hours after receiving a medal for her contributions to the country's education. Chen had the procedure done at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Lai Hsiao-ting, the surgeon in charge of Chen's case, said the 59-year-old philanthropist had suffered from the disorder in her left leg for over 20 years. The ailment turned worse last month and led to cellulitis, said Lai, who performed a laser procedure on Chen that lasted 70 minutes. Chen was allowed to go home after the procedure, and Lai said she would be able to sell vegetables at her stand on Tuesday. Earlier Monday, the vegetable vendor from Taitung City in southeastern Taiwan, who has donated nearly NT$10 million (US$320,000) to various charitable causes in past decades, was honored by the Ministry of Education with the first Class Professional Education-Culture Medal. Chen was the 18th person awarded with the medal and also the only recipient with only an elementary school education. Other recipients of the national medal include former Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh. During the ceremony, Chen said she will set up a fund to care for less- privileged students. Chen dropped out of school and took over her mother's vegetable stand at a traditional market in Taitung to support the family when she was 13 years old after her mother died while giving birth. The money she has donated over the years financed the construction of a library at the elementary school she attended and helped many poor children continue their school education. 