Though she's retired from the catwalk, supermodel Christy Turlington Burns is still turning heads as one of the faces of (PRODUCT)RED™. The mother of two talks with Gayle about her commitment to helping save the lives of others through musician Bono's (RED)™ campaign.
(RED)™ is a campaign created to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund to eliminate HIV/AIDS in Africa. As an ambassador for the campaign, Christy is helping encourage others to give back. By purchasing (PRODUCT)RED ™ items from companies like Dell, Apple and Emporio Armani, people can help save lives. A percentage of each product sold goes toward purchasing medicine to save lives of those dying of AIDS.
Christy says when (RED)™ founder Bono asked her if she was interested in being a part of the initiative, her decision was simple. "If I had a life-threatening disease and wasn't able to keep myself alive and healthy to take care of my children, or if my child was also sick, I couldn't fathom what it would be like to not have access to those drugs," says Christy. "It's easy for me to contribute what I do. It's something that I believe in and that's meaningful to me."
Christy says her passion for the cause is just an extension of how she was raised. "I was taught through [my mother]. She was a person who donated her time, and I feel like she showed me by example how to be involved, how to help other people," Christy says. "I feel like I have a sensitivity and a passion for people who have less than we do here."
