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Combating cancer, injury and disfigurement in the most socially important part of our bodies – the face and mouth

The face is the only part of our body we cannot hide. It conveys our emotions and innermost feelings. We often judge each other on the basis of facial appearance, making assumptions on a whole range of issues.

People suffer the consequences of facial diseases, injuries and disfigurement every day. In the United Kingdom 6,500 people develop oral cancer every year. 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 leaving thousands of those unfortunate enough to be affected with little hope for the future. Not enough is known about facial disease, injury and deformity, their psychological and emotional impact and, critically, which treatments are most effective. Saving Faces - The Facial Surgery Research Foundation is the only charity in the UK solely dedicated to the worldwide reduction of facial injuries and diseases. We 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.

Henry de L (operation III)
Henry de L (operation II)
Henry de L (operation I)
Henry de L (V)
Henry de L (VIII)
Henry de L (I)
Henry de L (IV)
Henry de L (II)
Henry de L (operation III)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 48x48"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (operation II)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 48x48"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (operation I)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 48x48"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (V) - In barrister's robes. The most powerful painting of Henry
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 70x42"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (VIII) - Before losing his eye to cancer
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 16x14"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (I)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 16x14"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (IV)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 16x14"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
Henry de L (II)
Oil on canvas
Painting size: 16x14"
Painting by Mark Gilbert
 

Click on the arrows above to view more paintings of Henry de L

Henry's story

Henry was a 54-year-old barrister specialising in personal injury (accidents at work or car crashes). Until his death, he lived in London with his wife Anita. They have two children, Andrew and Kate, who are twins. Henry loved cricket and music.

He developed a painless lump in the left side of his palate in 1987, which proved to be a malignant tumour of one of the minor salivary glands at this site (adenoid cystic carcinoma).

Despite surgery and extensive radiotherapy the tumour recurred in 1991, when he was first treated by lain Hutchison. Over the succeeding nine years, Henry underwent twelve major operations, losing his left eye, upper and lower jaws, eye socket, frontal and temporal skull bones and the bones separating his brain from his mouth and nose. He was reconstructed with bone from his left shoulder blade and ribs, and skin, muscle and fat from his back and side.

Henry sadly passed away in 2002. His touching obituary in The Times, spoke of a warm and intellegnt man who "astonished all who met him with his pleasure in being alive".  Henry's family remain good friends of Saving Faces. Anita helps to run the Chelsea Opera Group, who perform at the annual Saving Faces Christmas Carols.

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