Changing Faces: Championing Visible Differences
My hopeful story starts in 2014 when I shared a conference stage with the amazing James Partridge, the founder of Changing Faces, which is the world's foremost charity championing the cause of those who look different.
James himself suffered horrendous burns to his face and upper body in a car accident in his teens. I listened to James share that those with visible differences from trauma, congenital disorders, or skin disease are often amongst the most vulnerable in our society, facing a daily grind of exclusion, harassment, and challenges in all areas of their lives, from struggling to find meaningful employment and relationships.
Outside the NHS, Changing Faces currently provides the UK's only free counselling and well-being service for children, young people, and adults with skin disease who need appearance-related mental health and well-being support. James died in 2020, but his legacy lives on in Changing Faces.
