| NICOLE » Charity Work |
Nicole has lent her support to some very worthwhile causes, and continues to support them in any way she can.
UNIFEM
In January 2006 Nicole was announced as the new goodwill ambassador for UNIFEM, a branch of the UN specialising
in the welfare and rights of women and children. Nicole's mother introduced her to the work of UNIFEM, with Nicole
saying her mother was listening to a BBC radio report in 2005 about UNIFEM's work in Cambodia to help rural women
create economic alternatives and "she calls me up and says, 'You've got to hear this'". Nicole then called UNIFEM
executive director Noeleen Heyzer. She says that the research she did to play abused Faunia in The Human Stain opened
her eyes to finding ways to help women. Nicole says she hopes that she "can act as a conduit, that I can be the
person who tells some of these stories." Some of the places she may visit as a goodwill ambassador are Sudan, Congo,
Liberia, Afghanistan and Cambodia. Nicole hopes this will be a "lifelong commitment".
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
Breast Cancer is a cause very close to Nicole's heart, as her mother survived it when Nicole was a teenager. Because of
this, Nicole recognises the importance of bringing awareness to the illness. At the London premiere of The Interpreter
she proudly showed off a pink breast cancer awareness wristband which was given to her by a fan. In September 2006
Nicole unveiled a giant pink ribbon on the Stardome at Madame Tussauds in London to launch Cancer Research UK's campaign
for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). Nicole stated: "I am honoured to mark the beginning of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month and I hope that this Cancer Research UK campaign will raise awareness of breast cancer amongst women
of all ages and encourage them to report any unusual changes and go for screening if they are over 50."
SYDNEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
Nicole is a dedicated supporter of and Ambassador for the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick, and whenever
she is in Sydney she pays a visit to the hospital to visit sick children. She often takes her own children with
her when visiting. In 2001 she donated $100,000 of her own money to the hospital. She says "In these troubled
times, I believe it is important to be positive and focus on our greatest natural resource - children - and
to ensure that they have the very best medical care available to them." In 2006 Nicole and Keith asked for
donations to be made to the hospital in place of wedding gifts, and released a wedding photo asking any
member of the press who used it to make a donation to hospital. The Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for child health with a full range of specialist
services treating children from all over NSW and Australia with many conditions including cancer, trauma,
HIV/AIDS, congenital abnormalities, heart disease and respiratory disorders.
UNICEF (United Nations Childrens Fund)
Since 1994, Nicole has been a UNICEF ambassador and spokesperson in Australia for the child welfare organization.
Nicole joined the international relief organisation in Rwanda, when she saw pictures of the way war had affected
the children living there. Since then she has raised public awarness about UNICEF's programs, doing public service
announcements, and speaking out against land mines.
Golden Globe Winner Nicole Kidman Chooses UNICEF Australia:
High-profile Australian actor and UNICEF Australia celebrity spokesperson Nicole Kidman has donated $200,000
towards UNICEF Australia’s programs for children in the Australian outback and the Asia Pacific region. The money
will be spent on three UNICEF Australia programs in central Australia, East Timor, and Burma. The programs in
East Timor and Burma are funded with support from the Australian government through AusAID. Ms Kidman, who has
been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Australia since 1994, received the money as a gift for her favourite charity
from fellow actor and friend, Paul Newman, through the Paul Newman’s Own Foundation. Ms Kidman handed over the
cheque to UNICEF Australia in person during a recent visit to Sydney over Christmas. "Deciding how to spend the
money was incredibly difficult but I have chosen projects close to my heart and home - UNICEF projects that will
help make a real difference in Australia and its neighbouring countries," said Ms Kidman.
Nicole was featured on an in-flight video to make passengers aware of the Change For Good program- Change for
Good is the collection of foreign currency from international air travellers. This money is then donated
to UNICEF. Change for Good currently operates on 224 international flights.
UCLA WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE CANCER PROGRAM (University of California Los Angeles)
Nicole's mother Janelle recovered from breastcancer when Nicole was 17, and Nicole is now strong supporter of breast cancer charities. She has been
working with them since 1995.
Nicole is the very first Chair of The Women's Health Fund at UCLA, co-founded in 1996, and she is now the Reproductive Cancer Program's chairperson as well as a member of it's board.
Nicole has held various fundraisers for them over the years. She attended the unveiling of The Moulin Rouge Windows at Bloomingdales New York,
in January 2002 to support this charity, which will receive a share
of the proceeds form the Moulin Rouge t-shirts sold at that store. Nicole spoke briefly, asking everyone to please purchase a T-shirt for the benefit
of her favorite charity.
In May 2003, Nicole became the first person to model for Key To The Cure, a women's cancer initiative founded in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation
and its Women's Cancer Research Fund. The adverts appeared in many fashion magazines across America, with Nicole wearing
the Stella McCartney-designed Key To The Cure t-shirt, encouraging people to go and buy one themselves. She said "Sadly, cancer touches most of us in some way," said Ms. Kidman. "I'm honored to be invited
by the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Saks Fifth Avenue to help bring more attention to this cause, and I'm also grateful for their crucial and generous support
of The Women's Health Fund at UCLA. Together, I know we are going to raise a lot of money to find a cure for women's cancers."
OTHER
• In June 2004 Nicole gave $25,000 to the New York Parks Department for the development of afterschool
programs for children.
• Nicole has supported Romanian orphans, which she met while shooting Cold Mountain there in 2002/03.
• In 1999 Nicole and Prince Andrew appeared on the cover of Hello! magazine (UK) in an NSPCC campaign to end child
abuse in the UK.
• In 2003 Nicole successfully sued British tabloids The Sun and The Mail for printing rumours of an affair with
Cold Mountain Jude Law and donated the proceeds to Fara, a charity for Romanian orphans
• Nicole lent her support to a Red Cross telethon in aid of the Bali bomb victims in 2002.
• Nicole is Patron of the Australian Theatre for Young People
CHARITY WORK RECOGNITION
• On March 1st 2004 Nicole was honoured by the EIF's Women's Cancer Research Fund for the work she has done
for cancer charities.
• Nicole was named 'Citizen Of The Year' by the UN in 2004.
NICOLE SAYS
"I find trying to solve problems and save lives is far more important than my film career.
I've been put in a position where I've been given a lot. I think it's my duty to give something back."
