Fundraiser Kirsty Howard dies aged 20 , she raised £7.5m for Manchester children’s hospital

Kirsty was the little girl who captured the hearts of millions when she handed the 2002 Commonwealth Games baton to the Queen along with David Beckham.

David Ireland, chief executive of the hospice, said: “Francis House had struggled to meet its running costs for many years; Kirsty’s fundraising changed that and gave us a measure of security that allowed us to expand and develop our service.

“Hundreds of children, young people and their families owe a tremendous debt to the young lady whose face made Francis House a household name.”
www.theguardian.com...

Kirsty was born with a rare heart defect which meant she was born with a back-to-front heart , she was one of only two people known in the world to suffer from the condition , doctors gave her only weeks to live by the time she had reached 4 years but Kirsty battled on to lead a full and exciting life , all be it a short one.

Her fundraising efforts won the support of prime ministers, pop stars and Hollywood actors as she continued to defy medical odds.
She also overcame her illness to study childcare at college, wanting to pursue a career as a teacher for children with special needs, before she died just a month after her 20th birthday.
In an interview recorded with the BBC two years ago she said she enjoyed going to the cinema and "being on the phone pretty much all the time".
David Ireland, chief executive of Francis House said Kirsty's fundraising "gave us a measure of security that allowed us to expand and develop our service".
www.bbc.co.uk...

Kirsty receiving the Variety special achievement award in 2014

Rest in Peace Angel.

I have just read about this.

For people to devote their lives to charity and for the wellness of others is commendable. The fact that her life was short and difficult must not distract from her achievements and drive.

We can all learn something from people like this.

a reply to: gortex

Funny, I knew who this would be as soon as I saw the title. She's one of those rare souls who make people think about the preciousness of life. Some people don't enjoy the lives they have and would put them aside if possible. That's not me being judgy, just pointing out the fact of it. Life is different things to different people.

I would bet that Kirsty Howard rarely took a day for granted. I'd also bet that she caused tens of thousands of people to shed a tear and smile all those years ago.

A friend's daughter has just turned 20 and was never assured of living so long. As we look at the ones who die, we forget that the relatives and friends also lived with the burden and questions of 'when?' I salute everyone who lives through this and feel guilty that I take my own life for granted.

Gratitude cannot describe what is owed to you whose actions are beyond description. A life literally dedicated to others is worthy of veneration, there are only a handful every generation, like petals on the rarest, most delicate of flowers. Thank you, the incomparable harbinger of hope to those you touched, and may your peaceful slumber be warmed eternally by the hearts of others.

This is why the head scratching about life starts , that god is one cruel bastard.

"I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet"
I don't believe in deities, but sometimes I wonder if people like this young lady, are put here to teach those of us willing to learn.

a reply to: gortex

Take notes MSM, these are the stories we want to hear about.

In her short life she has achieved more than I have in three decades. I'm not a religious man but surely there is a place for her beyond the mortal plane, it is not fair that illness robs people of life just as they are beginning to understand and enjoy it.

The universe sucks sometimes, but sometimes a person comes along and shows you that maybe it's not all that bad after all.

They are sent here as a reminder, to the rest of us.

A reminder to go out of our way for others, and to have a little more compassion for our fellow man.

May her memory never fade, and her deeds be no less forgotten.

May she rest in peace.

originally posted by: paraphi
I have just read about this.

For people to devote their lives to charity and for the wellness of others is commendable. The fact that her life was short and difficult must not distract from her achievements and drive.

We can all learn something from people like this.

It makes them all the more remarkable - was that her true purpose on Earth?