Background
Kirsty Howard was born on 20 September 1995 in Wythenshawe, Manchester to Lynn and Steve Howard.
Kirsty Howard was born on 20 September 1995 in Wythenshawe, Manchester to Lynn and Steve Howard.
Howard was the figurehead of Kirsty"s Appeal, a charitable foundation in her name, created to raise £5 million for Francis House, Didsbury, Manchester, the hospice where she received care. Howard took part in numerous fundraising efforts, which gained national support and attention.At the time of her death, she had raised over £7.5 million for the hospice. She also had two elder sisters named Zoe and Kim.
Howard had an exceptionally rare condition in which her heart was back to front, causing the misplacement of her internal organs.
The condition, a form of situs ambiguus, is inoperable, and requires extensive treatment, including a constant oxygen supply. Howard was the only person in the United Kingdom, and only the second in the world, diagnosed with this condition.
In February 1999, at the age of four years, she was given only six weeks to live but defied the odds. In 2001, Howard was the mascot for the 2002 World Cup qualifying match between England and Greece.
Commentator John Motson called her "the bravest person on the pitch", as she accompanied David Beckham onto the pitch with her 20 kg oxygen tank.
In 2003, Howard started the inaugural Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run, and took part in the race herself, via wheelchair, wearing the Number 1 vest. She continued to do this throughout the history of the event, even after she became 16 years old, when she was too old to officially take part in the event. She also joined the full 10 km race in her last years, pushed by her team
In 2006, Richard Fleeshman sang for Howard on Soapstar Superstar and donated his £200,000 prize money to The Kirsty Appeal.
Howard"s new fundraising target was to raise a further £2,000,000 to build an extension to the Francis House hospice. This will not be named after her, but dedicated to her.
Howard died on 24 October 2015 at the Manchester Royal Infirmary with her family at her bedside after suffering first a kidney infection and then a heart attack over the past few days. Her funeral was held on 3 November at Street Michael and All Angels Church, Northern Moor.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral, including a number of celebrities.
She is buried at Southern Cemetery, Manchester. A JustGiving page has been set up through the Kirsty Club at. The number one plate of Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run, which she always worn in the race, was retired in her honour.