A GLASGOW University student who had both legs amputated after contracting a flesh-eating bug is campaigning for the rights of disabled models.

Stacy Paris, 30, who is in her second year of a molecular biology degree, is backing moves to change employment laws affecting the modelling industry.

Stacy said: “According to the latest figures, one in six people in Britain has a disability but where are all the disabled models?”

“When I was starting out, I had no-one to look up to.”

Stacy is the first Scot to sign up to the Models of Diversity campaign, which wants the government to force agencies to represent one disabled model for every five able-bodied models.

There are only a handful of examples of disabled models taking to the catwalk – last year, for instance, Jillian Mercado, who has muscular dystrophy, was signed to IMG Models (the same agency as Gisele Bündchen) and Madeline Stuart, an 18-year-old Australian who has Down’s syndrome, was announced as the face of cosmetics brand GlossiGirl.

Michael O’Brien, director of leading Scottish agency The Model Team, said: “I would not say no to representing a disabled model – we treat all applicants on an individual basis.

“I think it is a question of demand though from clients – I’ve worked in Scotland for 10 years and we have never had any enquiries from anyone looking for a disabled model. 

“But when you look at the film and television industries, disabled actors are well-represented, so perhaps this is a move forward that is just waiting to happen, and we applaud that.”

“The idea of quotas is a difficult one. It begins to sound like tokenism. This is a tough industry to break into, whoever you are.”

Seven years ago, Stacy was on holiday in the south of France when she developed a pain in her foot. On her return to home to mum Paula and brother, Graeme, in Bridge of Allan, she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis. She spent six days in intensive care fighting for her life.

Over the next few years, Stacy endured multiple hospital visits and treatments, culminating in the amputation of both her legs below the knee.

Stacy is now free of the disease but there is a chance it could return. She said: “I don’t worry about it. I’m a positive person.”

AndCombining her studies with campaigning is hard work, but Stacy is passionate about the cause. 

“I spoke to one mum about her daughter, who had both feet amputated,” she said.

“She said the little girl’s face just lit up when she saw my picture. That’s why I’m doing this. Young girls need to see people like them up there on the catwalks and the television screens.

“I never planned for my life to turn out this way, but now that I’m here, I’m ready to be the role model that I couldn’t find. I want to be a game-changer.”