Brave Rob’s running to help Joey on his journey

A Lake man, who was involved in a near-fatal car crash last August, is joining in raising money for a three-year-old to have a private operation which will free him from his ‘constant pain and suffering’.

Rob Iley, 30, is still recovering from the accident which left him with a broken neck, broken ribs and part of his intestine removed. But he is running 70 miles in 30 days to help raise £7,000 for Joey Stead of Lake whose life-changing operation will take place on April 15.

The IW Observer reported last week on how Joey’s parents, Charlotte and Barrie, had been forced to go private for the operation because of long delays in the NHS procedures due to the coronavirus. They have already reached their target and after Joey’s operation is sorted out any excess funds will be donated to a local charity.
Joey suffered his first seizure aged six months, and tests confirmed he had brain damage and several other problems including left-sided hypotonia, a term for decreased muscle tone. After a visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital, a specialist confirmed he needed an urgent grommet operation to stop recurring middle-ear infections and he will also need his tonsils and adenoids removed to help aid his problems.

Rob, who works for Booker Wholesale UK, and has been well supported by Sandown and Lake FC in his sponsorship efforts, said: “Initially, I didn’t even know Charlotte and Barrie and I only contacted them through a friend of a friend.
“I wanted to get involved because Joey is a local lad and I felt he just didn’t deserve to be in this situation because he is so young. I also wanted to do something to help someone else following my car accident and it’s also a motivation to get myself fit.

“Someone told me that the coastal path around the Island is about 70 miles long, so that gave me a target and I’ll do that in 30 days so I am finished before Joey has his operation.”
Rob has already raised £1,100 and anyone who would like to contribute can do so via his GoFundMe page or through ‘Joey’s Journey’ Facebook page.