14,000 has been raised to help cover Ben Whiteside’s medical costs.
A young man from County Down saw his dream holiday quickly turn into a nightmare after he contacted a very rare flesh-eating disease called necrotising fasciitis while travelling through Laos.
Ben Whiteside, 25 from Carryduff, was travelling through Asia with his girlfriend Anneka until he felt seriously ill. Unfortunately the local hospital didn’t have the facilities to treat the infection meaning that Ben’s life was in serious danger.
This flesh eating disease is a form of progressive bacteria which can kill in a matter of days if left untreated. Thankfully for Ben, he was airlifted to Thailand where he received life saving treatment but the operation came at a cost to his health and fortune.
Ben’s bills totaled at £20,000 (€28,300), but an online appeal has already proven to be very successful, raising over £14,00 already. If you would like to make a donation then Ben’s gofundme page is here.
Image via – The Mirror
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