My name is Greg Johnson. Ben and I have been friends since we were 13 years old. Ben is the ultimate socialite and makes friends with everyone he meets. His sense of humor will brighten anyone’s worst day. Anyone who knows Ben will tell you he is kind-hearted and wise through his goofy demeanor.

Ben needs your help now. At age 4 Ben broke his femur. At age 6, Ben broke his femur a second time and was diagnosed with Fibrous Dysplasia, a rare bone disease that replaces bone and marrow with fibrous tissue, weakening and deforming the affected bones. Ben was diagnosed with this rare condition in his left femur, which was treated at Shriners Hospital for Children.

The surgeons removed the fibrous tissue, and installed metal hardware to reinforce Ben’s femur. When he outgrew the hardware, the surgeons replaced it again. Ben's healthcare was disrupted when he was no longer eligible for his parents insurance, and no longer able to access the same medical resources as before.

Ben is now in his 30s. The current location of the old hardware is now creating a stress point in his femur, overlapping with an area of bone that has transformed into fibrous tissue. The fibrous tissue needs to be removed and replaced with a bone graft taken from Ben’s pelvis. The plate and screw fixtures need to be removed to prevent Ben’s femur from fracturing. A titanium rod would be installed down the center of the femur to prevent future fractures and further deformity. To accommodate the rod, and a small wedge of Ben’s femur would also be removed in order to correct the current deformity. Ben has been instructed by his doctors not to bear any weight on his left leg, and to use crutches, because they are concerned that walking on the leg in its current state may cause the femur to fracture before intervention is possible.

If this procedure is not performed, his femur will continue to deform and will soon fracture, making a full recovery far less likely. The cost of the surgery is well beyond Ben’s means. The recovery process will also involve missing several weeks of work.

Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Every dollar is a step towards Ben's goal to walk again.