Story Published:
Oct 20, 2002 at 5:39 AM PST
Story Updated:
Aug 30, 2006 at 11:50 PM PST
SEATTLE - A fashion show on the second floor of the Bon Marche in downtown Seattle is a world a way from a hospital in Vietnam for amputees and land mine victims. But a woman in the front row at that fashion show Saturday is bringing them both together.
"Today's a bit easier. It's two cities in one day," Heather Mills told KOMO 4 News about her current whirlwind tour. "The other day was four cities."
Mills is Gooodwill Ambassador for the Adopt-a-Minefield Campaign, a program aimed at resolving the global land mine crisis. It is the fundraising campaign of the United Nations Association USA.
Mills' personal campaign includes raising funds to provide prosthetic limbs for amputees and land mine victims. She is also the wife of Sir Paul McCartney and the two closely coordinate their schedules and appearances so they can be together. Sir Paul performed at the Tacoma Dome Saturday night.
A fashion show of Mills' clothing line brings money to the campaign. Mills is the model and spokesperson for INC International Concepts, a women's clothing line. Saturday the Bon Marche presented Mills with a check for $10,000 for the Adopt-a-Minefield Campaign.
"We've fitted over 27,000 people since I've been an amputee, which is fantastic," said Mills.
In 1993 she was involved in a road accident with a police motorcycle. She suffered crushed ribs, a punctured lung, multiples fractures of the pelvis and the loss of her left leg below the knee. Years before she met McCartney she'd begun using her experience with prosthetic limbs to help other accident and land mine victims.
"I don't ever see myself not doing this. This is lifelong work and will have to continue long past my days."
And she has partnered with local organizations like Clear Path International of Bainbridge Island who have helped hundreds in Vietnam in the last two years.
"And with this kind of support and the funding from Adopt-a-Minefield we hope to do a lot more, " said Imbert Matthee of Clear Path. Adopt-a-Minefield will raise money on behalf of Clear Path International to support the Seattle area's programs in Quang Tri Province just south of the former DMZ in Vietnam.
Svay Ngoy also attended the Bon Marche event. He is from Cambodia and lost both of his legs in war.
His organization is called Cambodian Mine Victims Assistance Association. It helps land mine victims in that country by helping them reclaim and re-plant their land. Saturday he thanked Heather Mills McCartney for her work.
"Her work is a very great activity. I wish I can do like her," said Ngoy.
And as she always does, Mills issued an invitation for others to join her campaign.
"Many people sit at home and go 'I'd love to go to Afghanistan and save all these children.' But you can actually start from home and make a huge difference."
For More Information:
www.adoptaminefield.org
www.heathermills.org
www.clearpathinternational.org