These patients’ stories show the lack of evidence for what is the best treatment for many conditions and how difficult it is for a patient and their doctor to know which treatment is likely to work best for them. Therefore, although many advances have been made in facial surgery, we still have a huge amount of research to do to determine what treatment is likely to work best for every patient.
Facial disease and injury is unique because of the balance that often has to be found between repairing injury and curing disease whilst minimising the impact of treatment on appearance and vital functions like breathing, eating, speaking, tasting, smelling, seeing and hearing. The treatment surgery almost always has an impact on emotion either for the worse or for the better.
That’s why Saving Faces is asking at least one million people to donate at least £5 to create this brand new Professorship, named after Alan Rickman, covering head and neck cancer, facial injury and disfigurement.
“Six weeks after Orlaith was born, we noticed a tiny black spec on her left cheek beside her ear. Consultants diagnosed the growth as a blood vessel tumour in the parotid gland. By the time Orlaith was 18 months old, the tumour was approximately the size of a large orange and had started to pull the skin below her eye.
She was treated by surgeons at Northern Ireland’s top hospital with steroid injections. Despite this the tumour continued to grow. We were initially told that Orlaith would not be offered any treatment until her face stopped growing in her late teenage years.
As we went about our daily lives, taking Orlaith shopping or walks in the park, we could sense people staring at Orlaith. One woman asked us how she got the bruise on her face.
Fortunately, we had nurses and doctors in the family who identified a surgeon in London who was prepared to operate on Orlaith when she was 2 years old. After a detailed examination and discussing the complexity of removing the tumour and the associated risks, such as nerve damage, we agreed to have the tumour removed.
The 5-hour operation was successful and we were delighted that the surgeon had saved nerves that were wrapped around the blood vessel tumour and the scar was hidden at the back of the face just in front of the ear. We returned home two weeks after the operation and had annual check-ups at Hospital in London. Orlaith is now a beautiful young woman and is studying to be a nurse.”
“My daughter Rebecca was born with a tiny red dot between her nose and eyes. The red dot grew rapidly and she was seen in my local major hospital in Scotland by dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons five or six times over a two-year period. On each occasion the red mark, which was now covering her eyes, was injected with steroid drugs, while she was asleep, with no effect. By the time Rebecca was two, the birthmark had grown to the size of a large egg. I was told nothing else could be done and that this growth would probably shrink with time. I had to put up with a lot of horrible comments and stares and was terrified that the blood vessel growth might burst when she fell over bleeding dangerously.
All this time the Surgeon and the dermatologist never said surgery could be done and Rebecca never had a scan.
After seeing a TV programme, I found a surgeon in London who was prepared to operate. He told me all the possible complications but we still decided to go ahead. The operation took three hours and immediately after, despite the scar running down her nose, she looked normal for the first time in 2 years. Within a few months the scar was barely visible and now it can’t be seen at all. My daughter is now a fine, confident young woman and has just finished her law degree.”
Children’s Blood Vessel Tumour – Annie’s Story
Mouth Cancer – Raymond’s Story
Pre-Cancer turning to mouth cancer – Sharon’s Story
Corrective jaw surgery and facial appearance – Sue’s Story
Facial bicycle injury and reconstruction – George’s Story
Facial shotgun injury and reconstruction – Ade’s story
Temporomandibular disorder – Christine’s story
Facial injury from a dog bite – Tom’s story
Melanoma of the eye – Josh’s story
Mouth Cancer – David’s story
Juliet Stevenson CBE
Alan was the most wonderful friend, mentor and co-conspirator with me in plays and films. I still feel his presence with me on my shoulder advising me. But I was not the only one who benefited from his love and support. He collected talent around him, nurturing it, giving people opportunities. Many hundreds of people probably owe their careers to Alan. There was no one else like him.
I know that Alan supported Saving Faces over the past 22 years so I’m not surprised that he left a small legacy in his will to support their work. I think it’s brilliant that they are going to use this money to start a crowd funding campaign to let thousands of people honour this wonderful man by funding a new professorship to research and improve treatment for conditions affecting the face and mouth. The Professorship will keep his name and voice alive and always associate this with improving and saving lives. Please help us by donating and asking your friends and contacts to do the same.