St. Bartholomew's Hospital West Smithfield London EC1A 7BE

Tel: 020 7601 7582 Web: www.savingfaces.co.uk

Saving Faces is a registered research charity based at the historic St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in West Smithfield, London.

In the United Kingdom alone about 4,700 people develop oral (mouth) cancer every year and 1,700 people die from this kind of cancer. Around 125,000 young people sustain serious facial injuries and 15,000 people receive treatment for facial disfigurement. Despite the severity of these issues, this remains a much neglected research area.

The Facial Surgery Research Foundation - Saving Faces, is the only charity in the United Kingdom solely dedicated to the worldwide reduction of facial injuries and diseases. They are taking the lead in education and research to improve the physical and psychological treatment of all victims of oral cancer and other facial diseases.

There are now more than 40 facial surgeons throughout the United Kingdom collaborating with a team of nine Saving Faces researchers. Together they are carrying out work in various areas related to facial problems such as oral cancer, facial injuries and facial disfigurement.

Via Saving Faces, former patients provide support to newly-diagnosed patients and their families through a support network. The emotional and psychological impact of surgery is often just as traumatic as the procedure itself. They have also set up a patient helpline and have a database of 200 former patients who have agreed to answer calls. Their database includes a comprehensive range of diagnoses, ages and languages. They call these volunteers their Expert Patients and the valuable service they provide is the Expert Patient Helpline.
Call 07792357972 or email helpline@savingfaces.co.uk for more information.