Sisters turn tale of tragedy into hope

Sarah's twin sister Victoria Panton-Bacon had just given birth to her first son, and the family were eagerly looking forward to meeting the new addition to the family.

On their way to the hospital, tragedy struck, when the three of them were hit by a bus.

Elizabeth, 65, who lived in Market Drayton, was killed in the collision, and Sarah was seriously injured.

Pollyanna, who was just two at the time, suffered injuries which meant she had to have a leg amputated.

However, the twins were determined that some good would come out of the tragedy. And seeing how Pollyanna's life had been transformed by a prosphetic limb, they set up a charity in memory of their mother to ensure that child amputees in developing countries would receive a similar level of care and support.

This week, the twins' tireless work in the face of adversity was recognised by Prime Minister David Cameron, who gave them both the prestigious Points of Light award for their efforts.

The awards, which are given for outstanding voluntary service, were created by Mr Cameron last year, following the success of a similar scheme set up by former US president George H W Bush in 1990.

Each day, the Prime Minister chooses somebody who has made an outstanding contribution to the welfare of others, without asking for anything by way of reward.

And, as an added bonus, the sisters were invited to receive their honour at a special ceremony in Houston, Texas, to mark the 25th anniversary of the original US scheme.

They were presented with their awards, in front of an audience of 2,500, by Mr Bush's son Neil, who is also the younger brother of former president George W Bush.

Sarah and Victoria, who grew up in Market Drayton, formed the charity Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope (ELoH) in 2011 to provide help and support for child amputees.

Having seen how Pollyanna had benefited from a prosthetic leg, they decided to provide support for children across the globe who had lost their limbs through war, accidents, and lack of access to medical care.

The charity has already changed the lives of more than 250 child amputees in Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and has trained an orthopaedic surgeon who has treated over 1,000 young disabled patients in the region.

Sarah and Victoria said it had been a huge honour and delight to have been chosen for the award.

Sarah said: "Bringing light out of darkness is the message of Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope. We hope this reward will enable us to reach out to hundreds more struggling amputee children in the poorest parts of the world."

But they also said that their presence at the ceremony in the US was on behalf of all British Point of Light winners.

Mr Cameron said the sisters had shown great strength in overcoming their tragedy, and praised their tireless devotion to helping others who faced life-changing injuries.

He said: "By providing the same excellent medical care Pollyanna received to children in developing nations, they have given children hope for the future, enabled them to be active and live their lives to the full."

He added: "Sarah and Victoria should be extremely proud of all they've achieved in memory of their mother Elizabeth.

"I am delighted they have been able to share the importance of their work on an international stage."

Last month, ELoH launched a new project in Andhra Pradesh, India, to support 80 child amputees with long-term and holistic support, including access to prosthetics, surgeries and emotional care.

This will have vital empowering effects on the children, enabling them to regain mobility, rebuild their self-esteem and go to school.