Kirsty Howard: Campaigner born with rare heart defect dies aged 20

Tributes have been paid to the young girl, who raised £7.5 million for charity

(Rex Features)

Kirsty Howard, the fundraiser who was born with her heart back to front, has passed away aged 20.

A spokesman for The Kirsty Club, a foundation set up in her name, confirmed that she passed away during the night, surrounded by her family.

Howard was born with the rare, inoperable condition which resulted in the misplacement of her internal organs, and required extensive treatment and a constant oxygen supply to be given to her.

At four years old, doctors had given her just six more weeks to live. Tributes were paid to the girl on social media by people she had met during her extensive charity work.

But she devoted her life to fundraising, raising £7.5 million for Francis House Children’s Hospital in Manchester and launching the Manchester Commonwealth Games with David Beckham.

In 2002, she presenting the Queen with the Jubilee Baton during the opening ceremony.

Due to her extensive charity work, she was awarded the Child of Courage award at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2001.