Toby Cox, the young cerebral palsy sufferer from Bradley Stoke who travelled to the USA for an operation to help him walk unaided, is said to be “doing fine” three days after the procedure at St Louis Children’s Hospital.
Local people and businesses rallied round to raise the £38,000 required to pay for Toby’s travel and operation in response to the Help Toby Walk appeal started by Toby’s parents Donna and Ian Cox.
Writing on the appeal’s blog, Donna Cox says Toby has been in a lot of pain since the operation but he was able to sit up and have some breakfast yesterday (Sunday) morning.
Before leaving for the USA, Mrs Cox explained to The Journal that any money raised beyond the £38,000 target will go towards the cost of Toby’s post-operative physiotherapy, which, like the operation, will not be funded by the NHS.
Toby will also need paediatric exercise equipment at home that will enable him to establish strength and stamina in muscles that have not been used before.
The final fundraising event to be held before the family’s departure for the USA was a five-a-side football tournament organised by the Willow Brook Centre and Bradley Stoke Police.
Winners of the competition, which was contested by five local teams, were ‘Tesco Finest’ from Bradley Stoke’s Tesco Extra store.
Town Mayor Ben Walker was on hand to present the trophy (photo above) at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. [See more photos of the football tournament on PicasaWeb].
Before leaving for the USA, Mrs Cox told The Journal:
“We would like to thank everyone who has helped us reach this fabulous fundraising figure, and are also very grateful for the monies now received for his aftercare.”
“We have been witness to some amazing efforts, both big and small, we have been humbled by the efforts some people have gone to to help our little boy, and I personally have been reduced to tears on many occasions by people’s words and kind thoughts.”
