<p>A five-year-old boy who doctors feared would be wheelchair-bound for life has walked unaided for the first time after a “miracle” operation.</p><p>Joey Patterson was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in 2017 after mum Gemma noticed he was choking on his food. </p><p>Doctors said the youngster would be confined to a wheelchair unless he had pioneering spinal surgery.</p><p>Sadly, Joey did not meet the criteria to have the operation on the NHS so his parents launched a fundraising appeal to have it done privately.</p><p>After months of fundraising, his family finally hit the £50,000 target for Joey to have SDR (Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy) at Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2019.</p><p>Surgeons opened up Joey’s spine and cut the nerves which were sending abnormal messages to his leg muscles which meant he was unable to walk.</p><p>The brave lad also underwent months of gruelling physiotherapy where he was taught how to walk.</p><p>Heartwarming footage shows Joey taking his first steps unaided as his proud mum cheered him on.</p><p>Joey, from Loughborough, Leics., has now built up the strength to walk 100 steps on his own.</p>
