Sutton youngster one step closer to walking

Iyra Austin is only three and had a tough start in life she was born nine weeks premature and when she was only six weeks old she stopped breathing after having bronchitis. It was not until she was ten months old that she was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Since December the family have been fundraising to get the £50,000 she needs for an operation which is not available on the NHS and are already on £23,500.

Mum Shontell, from Peel Street, Sutton, said: “I can’t believe how far we have come - I never thought we would have raised so much so quickly but because everyone is so generous we now have a consultation appointment lined up for next month which is amazing.”

All four of Iyra’s limbs suffer from stiffness or permanently contracted muscles and she has to use a walker to help her get around and has splints on her legs all the time and receives botox injection to relax her muscles.

However, the injection which are meant to last six months are only lasting two.

On August 11 the family will travel to Bristol to meet a consultant for a Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation.

This is a surgical procedure that can help children with particularly severe muscle stiffness in their legs to improve their mobility. The operation involves cutting some of the nerves in the lower spinal column, which will relive leg stiffness.

Shontelle said: “We want Iyra to have this so she can start to be more independent and is in less pain.

“She is at nursery now and is starting to ask questions.

“To her the pain is normal but when she sees other children going on outings she doesn’t understand why she can’t do the same as everyone else.”

Shontelle is also mum to Taylan and works part time.

“It can be very tiring at times but she is my little girl all I want for her is to be happy and healthy.”

A recent superhero themed walk raised £1,000 for Iyra’s Fund and there is a family funday taking place tomorrow, Sunday, July 24 at Sir John Cockle Pub.

People will be able to get up close and personal with meerkats, reptiles and furry creatures from Willow Tree Farm and there will also be tributes from Blondie and Rod Stewart.

Shontell said: “It will be a nice day with cakes, glitter tattoos, and a tombola we want as many of our fundraisers to include Iyra so people can see why we need to raise the money.”

On Friday, August 5 there will be a ghost walk with lee Roberts from Most Haunted. Tickets £35 available on Facebook. Search Iyra’s Fund.

To donate click here

Read more about the incredible youngster:

When the campaign started

{http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/business-backs-campaign-to-help-sutton-youngster-walk-1-7658591

|Business back Iyra’s Fund|Business backs Iyra’s Fund}

{http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/bolsover-boxer-to-fight-for-little-girl-with-cerebral-palsy-1-7659054

|Boxing to beat Cerebral Palsy|Boxing to beat Cerebral Palsy}

Iyra not allowed on a bus