Help Benjie To Walk Again

Benjamin, or Benjie to his family, friends and colleagues is a 42-year old male patient diagnosed with OPLL (Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament). It is a condition of abnormal calcification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. (1)

Benjie is suffering from difficulty in standing and walking for several months now. On some days, he is not able to stand up or walk. His limbs suffer from numbness and tingling most of the time and even simple tasks such as holding a phone or spoon becomes very difficult.

Along with OPLL, doctors have also seen evidence of Cervical Spondylosis, a condition for age-related wear and tear affecting the spinal disks in the neck which affects 85% of people over the age of 60 years. (2) Benjie is only in his early forties.

In order to manage his condition, doctors have recommended Laminoplasty, a surgical procedure that removes the pressure from the spinal cord in the neck. (3) This procedure is estimated to cost around 1 million philippine pesos ($20,000.00) and Benjie cannot afford to pay for the surgery. He left his job when his condition worsened because he can no longer perform his duties. He is now under the care of his family and even with combined financial resources, it is not enough to keep up with his medical needs.

Due to financial constraints, Benjie is not able to attend to his scheduled follow ups with doctors and physiotherapy sessions. He is currently on conventional treatment that includes painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and braces which offer very little or no relief.

Benjie is a hardworking person working as a Logistic Assistant before he was diagnosed with OPLL. He is also a devout follower of Christ and actively participates in their ministry works. He is family-oriented and he has so much plan for the future but his life came to a halt because of his medical condition.

He is too young to be bound to a wheelchair. He can still do so much as a professional and as a worker for the Church. Please help Benjie get back on his feet again and one day become a living testimony of your generosity and overcoming OPLL.

Thank you all and to God be the Glory.

For more reading about OPLL, please visit the links below

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC32306...

(2) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cer...

(3) https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/neurosurgery/for-pa...