Girl with tumour seeks other people named Kirsty

An 11-year-old girl has found hundreds of people who share her name, as part of a project to raise funds for cancer research.

Kirsty, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, launched the My Name is Kirsty website while undergoing her second round of chemotherapy for a brain tumour.

She is inviting her namesakes around the world to add themselves to the website's map to raise awareness and encourage donations to Oscar's Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity.

Kirsty told Radio Kent the family "wanted another thing to take our minds off it", after her treatment began.

More than £100,000 was raised for Children with Cancer UK during her previous challenge, when she crocheted 70 bunting triangles to mark every week of her first round of treatment.

After learning that just a few pence out of every £100 of funding for cancer research in the UK went on children's brain tumours, according to Kirsty, she "just thought that was so crazy and I needed to tell people and make a change".

She said: "I thought 'who would I most like to tell?'.

"I want to tell everyone about my story but especially Kirstys."

People whose names are spelled Kirstie are also welcome to register on the website.

More than 1,200 people named Kirsty have already added themselves to the map, from as far afield as Malaysia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as hundreds of supporters with other names.

Kirsty said she loved her name, especially as "there aren't as many young Kirstys now because it's quite an 80s name".

It was in November 2024 that Kirsty found out she had a brain tumour, which was causing her to lose her eyesight and memory.

Following the diagnosis, she was hospitalised for two weeks to have part of the tumour, which she has named Terry, removed. Her memory and sight later returned.

Broadcaster Davina McCall previously visited Kirsty at home to shared her experiences with her, after the presenter underwent surgery for a benign tumour.

Fellow TV personalities Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash surprised Kirsty while she was undergoing treatment at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in December to present her with an award for her fundraising efforts.

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