A supermodel on a super mission

ABC7's Cheryl Jennings talked with Christy by telephone about the documentary and about her work with CARE.

Super model Christy Turlington is a spokesperson for the international relief agency CARE and has traveled to countries like Peru, to see their work. She's a Bay Area native born in Walnut Creek, and raised in Danville. She visited this successful program in Peru, which helps mothers and their babies survive childbirth.

"Half a million women die each year. One every minute in childbirth or post childbirth and 90 percent of those deaths are preventable and when I learned those facts, that became my mission," said Turlington.

Christy's website shows the super model most people know. She's been modeling for 25 years, ever since she was 15. She just turned 40, has two kids and lives in New York. She traveled to El Salvador with CARE and met other new moms when she was pregnant with her first child.

"I was able to spend some time with these moms, and when I went back to deliver my son, I kept thinking about these women and how were they doing and were they able to go through their pregnancies and did their children survive?" said Turlington.

She's gone back to school to get her master's degree in maternal health. She says the new documentary debuted called 'A Powerful Noise' is about three women in three impoverished countries who are using their fierce determination to help other women. The documentary is premiering to honor International Women's Day, March 8th.

"It's a great series of stories that shows and can connect women all over the world with the experience of being a woman in other parts of the world. We hope to inspire some outcry for those who have a lot less in their favor," said Turlington.

The movie, 'A Powerful Noise,' will show in several Bay Area theaters Thursday night at 8pm. The town hall discussion will be taped and sent by satellite to the West Coast.

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