Ben McBean, a double amputee former Royal Marine who was injured in Afghanistan and is friends with Prince Harry, has started a crowdfunding campaign to get a bionic arm abroad after the NHS did not provide one despite promises. He wants to hold his children's hands and regain independence. The case has drawn criticism from veterans and politicians, highlighting gaps in support for amputees.
A former Royal Marine Commando who lost an arm and a leg in Afghanistan and counts Prince Harry among his friends has launched a public appeal to raise funds for a bionic arm , exposing shortfalls in the National Health Service's provision for amputees.
Ben McBean, 39, was severely injured by a landmine blast in 2008 at the age of 20 and was, for a time, not expected to survive. His miraculous recovery and resilience have been widely praised, including by Prince Harry, but years later he still relies on static prosthetic limbs and has never been offered a bionic arm despite NHS pledges to provide them to all eligible amputees by 2022.
McBean's GoFundMe campaign seeks to cover the cost of traveling to another country to obtain a myoelectric prosthetic, a technology that could dramatically improve his quality of life, allowing him to perform everyday tasks like holding a cup of tea while opening a door or, most importantly to him, holding both his sons' hands at once. His story has sparked outrage among veterans' advocates and politicians, who see his need to privately fund a prosthetic as a failure of the system meant to support those injured in service.
The campaign, aiming for £22,000, has already raised over £21,000, demonstrating widespread public sympathy for his cause. McBean's appeal sheds light on the obstacles many amputees face in accessing advanced prosthetic technology through the NHS. While the health service committed to expanding bionic arm provision, McBean claims he has never been offered one despite regular medical appointments for follow-up surgeries related to his injuries.
Ex-SAS soldier and author Andy McNab described McBean's situation as "a slap in the face for veterans," underscoring the sense of betrayal felt by many service personnel who believe the country has not fully honored its covenant with them. Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge joined the criticism, calling McBean "a hero who deserves all the help he can get" and urging ministers to investigate his case urgently.
The incident raises broader questions about the funding, availability, and eligibility criteria for cutting-edge prosthetics within the publicly funded healthcare system, and whether promises made to veterans are being kept. Beyond his physical injuries, McBean has also spoken candidly about the psychological challenges of adjusting to life as a double amputee, including struggles with PTSD and the public's perception of disability.
He has faced incidents where his use of a disabled parking badge was questioned because he "doesn't look disabled," and last year he was subjected to a shocking racial abuse outside a Tesco store. In a video posted on social media, McBean recounted how an older woman yelled at him to "get the f*** out of my country" and called him a racial slur, an encounter that left him "raging" given his service and sacrifice.
These experiences highlight the additional burdens of prejudice and misunderstanding that disabled veterans can encounter, even as they fight for basic support and recognition from the institutions and society they served
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