South Yorkshire mums turn OCD, ADHD and anxiety into fundraising comedy
Two South Yorkshire mums are turning some of life’s most difficult experiences into comedy and using the proceeds to help others.
Donna Houghton lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), while April Louise has ADHD and anxiety and is also a breast cancer survivor. Both women say comedy has given them a way to process their experiences, quieten busy minds and connect with other people.
Now they are using their platforms to give something back, organising comedy nights that raise money for local causes including dance schools, school PTAs and women’s charities.
“Comedy gives me somewhere to put everything that is going on inside my head,” said Donna. “OCD can be exhausting, but onstage I can take some of that fear and overthinking and turn it into something that makes people laugh. If we can also raise money for people who need it, that makes it even more worthwhile.”
April, a mum of two from Sheffield, began performing comedy after surviving breast cancer. She has since become a regular on the circuit and co-founded Gags for Good CIC, a Sheffield social enterprise that uses comedy to build confidence, reduce isolation and create opportunities for connection.
“My brain rarely shuts up, so comedy gives it a job,” said April. “Having ADHD and anxiety can make everyday life feel chaotic, but onstage that chaos becomes material.
“After breast cancer, I didn’t want to go back to simply existing. Comedy helped me find my confidence and my voice again. Now I want to use that voice to create brilliant nights out that also do some good.”
Neither Donna nor April presents comedy as a cure. Instead, they see it as a creative outlet, a way to reclaim difficult experiences, challenge stigma and show that women and mothers living with mental health conditions or neurodivergence are much more than a diagnosis.
Their fundraising events combine professional and rising comedy talent with a strong community purpose. Audiences get an entertaining night out, while local organisations receive valuable financial support and publicity.
Donna, from Doncaster, and April hope their story will encourage other women, particularly those diagnosed later in life or struggling silently, to find an outlet that belongs to them.
April added: “We’re both mums, we both have brains that can make life complicated, and we both put on comedy nights to help other people. We’re basically turning nervous energy into community fundraising...with a bar.”