Brave Wythenshawe fundraiser honoured with MBE

December 31 2011
Wythenshawe fundraiser Kirsty Ashton, who has raised nearly £100,000 for sick children, despite battling a serious illness has been rewarded with an MBE in the New Year honours list.

The 21-year-old, who lives with her parents in Tranmore Walk Wythenshawe, suffers from from neurofibramatosis, and is the youngest to be honoured by the Queen in this year's list.

Kirsty has been raising cash for the When You Wish Upon a Star charity which has sent children with life threatening illnesses on various places including Lapland.

She has raised the cash despite suffering from the illness in which painful tumours must be removed from her back several times a year.

Kirsty, who is now studying at Salford University, won the vinspired Spirit award earlier this year for young volunteers.

She said: "My most memorable moment was when I went to Lapland with the When You Wish Upon a Star charity. Seeing those children on that trip is what encouraged me to do the charity work

"I volunteer because I really enjoy making other wishes come true and making people smile.

Kirsty has organised hundreds of fund raising events over the last 13 years and is raising more cash by selling the incredible story of her life. Anyone who wants to buy the book or donate cash can visit her website www.kirstysstory.co.uk.

Kirsty, who attended Altincham College of Arts, knows firsthand how it feels to be a child living with illness. When she was nine years old she went on a trip of a lifetime to Lapland, which was arranged by the When You Wish upon a Star organisation.

‘Whilst I was there I became friends with a little girl called Chloe, who was also nine’. Kirsty remembers clearly how exciting the trip was, meeting Santa and the reindeers, and having fun with all the other children. ‘Just after Christmas that year, my mum sat me down and told me that Chloe had died ’.

Kirsty’s mum also explained how these trips were funded, that the charity needed donations so that other children like her and Chloe could have these experiences. It was at that moment that Kirsty decided she wanted to raise money and help children like her have amazing experiences in their often short lives.

‘Even as a child I knew I had to help. My older brother and I even sold our Christmas presents so we could raise money. I remember dragging out the decorating table on to the front lawn and selling the presents we had received that year’.

As Kirsty got older she continued to raise vital funds for the organisation. Her commitment has led her to raise over £85,000 to enable children with illnesses to have their dreams come true.