A young woman who defied a medical prognosis as a child and went on to raise more than £7.5m for charity has died at the age of 20.
Kirsty Howard was born with a rare condition. Her heart was back to front, and she was not expected to live beyond the age of four. With her doctor’s help she grew instead into an inspirational fundraiser, becoming the figurehead of the Francis House Children’s Hospice in Didsbury, where she helped to secure its future by raising £7.5m through her campaign, the Kirsty Club.
Howard, from Wythenshawe in Manchester, died in hospital on Saturday in the early hours with her family at her bedside after suffering first a kidney infection and then a heart attack over the past few days.
Dependent on an oxygen mask and often having to use a wheelchair, she became publicly known in 2002 when she joined David Beckham and the Queen to launch the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Howard, who had had 11 major operations by the time she was a teenager, sat 12 GCSEs in 2012 and was at college studying childcare. She had hoped to train to be a teacher.
Family friend Susie Mathis told the Manchester Evening News: “Everything that could be done had been done and her little heart really could not take any more. It’s just shattering. She was a little fighter, but there was just no more strength to get through this one.”
Asked how her parents Lynne and Stephen and two older sisters Zoe and Kim were coping, she said: “I think you can imagine they are not coping. This has been an extraordinary journey. She outlived her prognosis for 16 years. But it’s still a terrible, terrible shock when you lose a child.
“You can only imagine what they are going through in this nightmare. It’s just dreadful, losing Kirsty, who has so inspirational and vibrant and has done so much and raised so much money, in fact millions and millions of pounds. Her legacy will always be there. She’s helped so many people. This little girl is extraordinary. She was extraordinary.”
Beckham paid tribute to the girl he described as his “good luck charm”. In a posting on his Instagram account, he said: “We have spent some amazing moments together and it was an inspiration to meet such a brave young lady with so much drive for helping others. My heart and love goes to Kirsty for letting me be a small part of your world over the years.”
News of her death was met with hundreds of messages of condolence on Twitter.
So very sad to hear that Kirsty Howard had died at the age of 20. She did incredible things for @FrancisHouseCH An amazing woman
— Sam Walker (@WalkerSam) October 24, 2015
David Ireland, chief executive of Francis House, said: “Hundreds of children, young people and their families owe a tremendous debt to the young lady whose face made Francis House a household name.”
Our deepest condolences to Kirsty's family https://t.co/uMH9Kt4a0B
— Francis House (@FrancisHouseCH) October 24, 2015
A fan of the soap Coronation Street, Howard was last year given a Variety Club outstanding achievement award. She said at the time: “It’s not been easy, but this is who I am and it’s helped me do a lot of good for others. My secret is to be positive, not to let anything get me down.”
