YouTube star MrBeast gives Salford student’s prosthetics clinics a £178,000 fundraising boost

Sisary (pictured above with colleagues), a student of the university’s EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Prosthetics and Orthotics (CDT), works for Exceed Worldwide prosthetic and orthotic clinics which have been providing free treatment to amputees for over 30 years in Cambodia. Just a few months ago, she’d never heard of MrBeast, one of the most popular accounts on video-streaming service YouTube.

Sisary, who works as the Country Director for Exceed alongside her studies, explained that when Exceed was first contacted by MrBeast’s team, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing, and thought it must be a scam. 

She explains: “Exceed’s two provincial rehabilitation centres in Cambodia faced financial constraints and we were facing the reality that we may have to look at scaling down our support to these centres.

“The Beast Philanthropy team including Dan Mace, CCO and Darren Margolias, ED, spent a whole week with us. They witnessed the work we do at our clinics, and the training we deliver for young prosthetists from all around the world. We also told them about all the challenges facing the two provincial clinics.

“At the end of the week, Darren and Dan asked to meet us slightly later than planned the next morning as they had to make a call. At the end of the day, Darren called me in together with Mr. Carson Harte, Exceed’s CEO, telling us that based on what they’d seen from us during the week, the passion, the professionalism, and the attitude, Beast Philanthropy considers that we are the right partner for them and they have decided to absorb the full cost of the two provincial clinics for the next 12 months, a total of $223,400USD (approx. £178,425) or equal to 2,200 prosthetic limbs. 

“It was so unexpected and so emotional! Instead of writing and delivering redundancy letters in March, we were able to inform all partners and staff to continue with their vital work.”

Within two weeks of finding out about the funding from MrBeast, the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation also confirmed funding for 800 prosthetic limbs in Cambodia. 

Sisary continued: “I am really happy that we are able to continue our service for people in need. Prosthetic limbs give people mobility, mobility gives them opportunities in life, opportunities in life give them independence though income generation and improved self-esteem where they can realise their dreams!”

Darren Margolias, Executive Director of Beast Philanthropy, said: “We came to Cambodia with the intention to pay for limbs for around 150 amputees. But after meeting the users, learning about them and the massive impact a prosthetic limb has on their lives, and seeing the absolute dedication of the people at Exceed Worldwide to help these users overcome their restrictions, we knew we HAD to do more.

“We are extremely proud to align ourselves with a team of people as dedicated to helping as many users as possible as Exceed Worldwide. Together we hope to restore some independence and relief to thousands of people who have suffered for so long.”