IT was very sad to hear of the death of charity campaigner Kirsty Howard.

Born with a back-to-front heart, Kirsty was given just weeks to live at the age of four but defied the odds to see her 20th birthday before passing away when illness struck.

In spite of physical limitations, Kirsty was a hardworking and highly effective fundraiser, raising millions to help poorly children.

The enduring memory is of her hand-in-hand with David Beckham, meeting the Queen at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. She really was an impressive individual who made her life into a gentle crusade for others.