Team Toby Mobile Hoist Fundraiser

A while ago, at the start of lockdown, my stepson returned home with some tomato plants! I asked him where they were from, and he said a lad called Toby was selling them around the corner.

This lad called Toby is quite a lad! Through Chandler's Ford Help and local message boards I got to know Toby's mum, Lyndsay. Then Sarah Guilder (who runs Bay Leaves Larder) told me that Lyndsay worked with her.

I won't ruin Toby's story, but suffice to say, Sarah and I decided we wanted to help out when Lyndsay mentioned this weird contraption called a Mobile Hoist!

I'll let Lyndsay and Alastair Dobson, Toby's mum and dad, take over the story!

Toby Dobson is a bright and happy thirteen year old. He loves adventures of any kind  including bike rides, walks and swimming. He especially likes going on holiday with his mum and dad and it doesn’t matter when or where.

Toby had a rough start in life. Born at 25 weeks with his brother Cameron, who sadly died, he fought for a long while on a hospital ventilator to fend for himself. He had many operations but the wonderful team at Southampton General did their very best  to make sure he got home. Life for Toby however was going to be different.

He was diagnosed with chronic lung disease and cerebral palsy of all 4 limbs. His early years were spent in and out of hospital but he was such a fighter and to this day he rarely complains about anything. Although he can’t speak he has developed his own form of communication by clicking his tongue. 7 clicks for hugs is a popular one, 5 for hungry is most common! He laughs at anything amusing but cries when people say goodbye. Even the postman has been known to hang around. He loves school, he loves making friends, he is always your best friend.

Although he’s been shielded through lockdown, he’s loved that too. Lots of attention from Mum, he thrives on the simple things in life - a book, tv, the garden. And thanks to a cancelled holiday he now has a hot tub to enjoy. 3 clicks by the way and incessant after tea. What his Mum and Dad hadn’t anticipated was all it’s therapeutic benefit. The warm water helps him relax his muscles and control his tone. It gives him a sense of relief which allows him to sleep well and wake up the next morning raring to go again. Toby still has overnight oxygen and wears uncomfortable nasal prongs but they don’t bother him.

So now the challenging bit. Toby is getting bigger and heavier. Dad is pretty good at lift and carry still but the occasional back tweak is becoming more frequent. Toby of course finds that hilarious. The fabulous NHS, local Council and his school offer huge support and he is surrounded by lots of equipment.

The icing on the cake however, which is beyond their scope, is a mobile hoist. Something that can help Mum and Dad get him in and out of his hot tub but can also be packed in a bag and taken on holiday. It would make a huge difference and “future proof” his sense of adventure. A lightweight gantry hoist (which can lift up to 30 stone!) would do just that.

Toby and his Mum and Dad would like to thank anyone and everyone for their support in this regard. As with all specialist equipment it’s expensive at nearly £2,500 but it’s benefit could be life changing.

Thank you so much for reading Toby's story and we would love it if you could help us make this a reality.

Thank you!

Toby,Alastair, Lyndsay, Sarah and Richard.