Sutton family's plea to get disabled daughter walking

Three-year-old Iyra Austin, of Peel Street, Sutton, has cerebral palsy and is in constant pain however, the family met with specialists in Bristol on Friday and there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Mum Shontelle, 26, said: “The consultant said because we have raised so much money we could have the operation as soon as October.”

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy is a surgical procedure which involves cutting some of the nerves in the lower spinal column, which will relive Iyra’s severe leg stiffness and help her to walk un-aided.

The family have been fundraising since December as the operation and aftercare has to be done privately. So far they have raised £27,000, the operation is £21,000 and ten per cent will have to go back to the charity Tree of Hope which is helping the family.

Shontelle said: “This last year has been the toughest and hardest of my life, I haven’t stopped raising money to get my little girl walking.”

Iyra was not allowed on a bus

Iyra, was born nine weeks premature and it was not until she was ten months old that she was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Learn more about Iyra’s condition here

Now the family are asking for people to get behind this cause again. The mum-of-two said: “We have raised so much money and I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who has got involved.

“The operation is paid for but the specialist aftercare and intensive physiotherapy is £550 a session as we won’t get enough help on the NHS.

“Sadly there isn’t enough money to cover all the sessions she will need so I’m asking again for your help to try and raise £10,000 in two months which we think should be enough for her therapy.

“We’d love businesses to get behind Iyra, I know we don’t have much time but I know this operation will help her so much. I don’t want to make her wait anymore.”

Businesses back Iyra’s campaign to walk

To donate click here or Iyra’s Fund on Facebook.