Doncaster mum to take on TV challenge for charity

A Doncaster mum is set to take part in a 5k obstacle course on ITV's Good Morning Britain to raise cash for a hospital charity.
Kirsty Broughton and family (left to right Kirsty, 26, Lee, 45, Chloe, 9, Bethany, 16, Amyrose, 12Kirsty Broughton and family (left to right Kirsty, 26, Lee, 45, Chloe, 9, Bethany, 16, Amyrose, 12
Kirsty Broughton and family (left to right Kirsty, 26, Lee, 45, Chloe, 9, Bethany, 16, Amyrose, 12

Kirsty Broughton is taking on ITV’s ‘Tough Mum’ challenge in aid of The Shefield Children’s Hospital Charity.

Kirsty, from Doncaster, was selected from thousands of applicants to become one of a hundred mums and mother figures who will jump, slide and climb their way through Good Morning Britain’s specially designed 5k obstacle course.

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The mum of three, who works for the mental health charity Mind, returned home one evening in March to discover that her husband, Lee, had decided to enter on her behalf.

She said: “I was only about a week later that I got a call from ITV saying I had made it onto the show. I was so shocked.

“I’ve done a couple of 5k runs before, but I don’t usually run to keep fit. I do aerial hoop and pole fitness which I absolutely love – I’m hoping that will give me an advantage on the obstacles that require a lot of upper body strength.”

Kirsty has chosen use ‘Tough Mums’ as a chance to support Sheffield Children’s Hospital -a cause that’s very close to her heart.

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“We adopted our youngest daughter, Chloe, when she was three years old. We started fostering her as soon as she was born but it wasn’t until she was six months old that we realised she was poorly.

“If you can think of a part of the body, Chloe sees a specialist for it. She has multiple conditions including: osteoporosis, spina bifida, epilepsy, lissencephal and schizencephaly. She’s had more operations than I can even remember and sometimes it feels like every hospital trip ends with a new diagnosis.

“For us Sheffield Children’s Hospital is a home away from home. You’d think that with it being such a big hospital that you would get lost and forgotten – but it’s not like that at all.

“Chloe can’t sit by herself and is non-verbal and partially sighted, so she can be hard to engage. But the staff always get the best out of her. Initially we were told she would only live until she was two years old – but she’s now a bright and funny nine year old. She’s just a superstar.

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“Without the treatment and the pioneering work of Sheffield Children’s Hospital Chloe wouldn’t be alive today. Our middle daughter, Amyrose, who is twelve, has a genetic bowel condition so she’s also under the supervision of quite a few specialists. It’s just amazing how much has been done for them.

“When things get tough, it’s the girls that motivate me. Chloe personally has to go through so much but she still manages to go to school every day and keep smiling. As for Bethany and Amyrose, what other children have to be on seizure watch for their sister all the time, or have to help me get their medication ready at bed time or connect their feed pump? Nothing is ever too much trouble for them and if that’s not inspirational, I don’t know what is.”

Tonya Kennedy, Events Fundraiser at The Children’s Hospital Charity said: “Mums like Kirsty make everything we do worthwhile. We can’t wait to watch her represent Team Theo on the big screen and will be cheering her on every step of the way. The money raised from Kirsty’s run will go towards the Make it Better appeal, helping to fund a brand new wing for the hospital.”