Help Ben Walk Again

When Ben Chavez began to have pain and difficulty walking, he figured he’d pulled a muscle. He expected it would get better. He expected it was nothing serious—right up until he found himself on the floor unable to move at the Red Iguana, where he worked as a waiter.

In that bustling restaurant, collapsed on the cold floor, he did what you do when you’re 24 and scared. He called his mom.

Jennifer noticed his limp and encouraged Ben to see a doctor. Now Ben was convinced too. He couldn’t move the lower half of his body.

Jennifer got to work arranging appointments. A barrage of tests followed. Ben was imaged, his fluids analyzed, and white-coated people poked and prodded. The detective work took months, but after consulting a rheumatologist at the University of Utah, Ben was diagnosed. It was not good news.

Ben has Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). AS is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects the spine. Inflammation of the vertebrae and other joints causes severe, chronic pain. If unchecked, the vertebrae fuse over time. The disease is related to arthritis—very painful—but strikes most of its victims in young adulthood. Little is known about its causes, except that it’s genetic.

AS has confused Ben’s body. The cartilage in his hips is gone, bone scraping on bone. He can get around only with a cane, and with difficulty. Hiking and backpacking in his beloved Wasatch Mountains is no longer an easy drive away. Pain and fatigue are constant companions. Work, too, is out of his reach.

There is no cure.

But the symptoms can be treated. Ben’s medical team is optimistic that bilateral hip surgery will give him the use of his hips again, allowing him to walk, and work, though his options will be limited by his mobility.

Ben is scheduled for his first surgery on March 21, 2023, at the University of Utah’s Orthopedic Center. The second surgery (if all goes well) will be in May or June 2023.

The surgery co-pays and related needs come at a price, including ongoing medical treatment, prescriptions, a bed, a walker, grab bars in his bathroom, and living expenses until Ben can work again. Out-of-pocket costs so far have cost Ben’s family $25,000.

Additional costs are projected to come in at about $25,000.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this and we understand that this is hard times for everyone. If you can contribute (any amount as it all adds up), sharing the link will also be greatly appreciated.

All of you who know Ben, know his contagious joy and enthusiasm. He remains optimistic, but it feels like a gate has slammed shut on his young life. His future is clouded by a painful and potentially crippling disease. Your support would mean a great deal.

We will keep everyone updated once the surgery happens so you can all follow along on Ben’s journey to walk again.

I’d also like to thank Debbie Frank for writing this for us. We love you and we thank you.