A double amputee has landed a modelling contract, straight from her hospital bed.
Lizzy Holmes was in hospital after her second amputation when her mum took a photograph and sent it to an agency.
The 23-year old, whose feet were back to front which has meant regular morphine doses just to manage the pain, made the decision to have both legs amputated. It was after the latest operation that her mum took it upon herself to give her daughter a confidence boost.
Speaking about her recent signing, Lizzy said:
“My mum took a picture of me after the operation and sent it off to the agency. They instantly replied. I was shocked because I wasn’t wearing any make-up in the picture and only had shorts and a t-shirt on.
“I can’t wait to do some modelling, it will be brilliant. I am not embarrassed about my legs and I’m the company’s only double amputee model. I’ve taken control of my own health and something positive has come out of it so I want to help other people to do that too.”
Lizzy hopes the change in her career will help other women with physical conditions to feel more confident:
“I want to inspire others and build their confidence. My brother-in-law took some photos of me for my portfolio and we came up with an idea to do “glamputation” shoots to try and give others their confidence back.”
Lizzy trained as a nurse for two years but had to quit due to the heavy lifting required in the job. As well as modelling, she is now pursuing a career in teaching.
Lizzy will be given two sets of prosthetic legs by the NHS, one for everyday use and a pair of blades for running or sports.
Sally Rix, co-ordinator at Talent Management, which has signed Lizzy up, said:
“We were very impressed by Lizzy and we are going to do everything we can to help her. We have models of all sizes, shapes and disabilities. Lizzy is the only female double amputee on our books and she is the only one I have heard of in the country. We are going to have her appear on the front cover of a magazine that we promote and then we will go from there.”
