My life changed dramatically when I was 18 - and fear became a daily experience. I was severely burned in a car fire and lost my looks for ever.

Everywhere I went, I was scared... scared of other people's reactions, their staring, curiosity, anguish, recoil, embarrassment and dread of meeting me - and worst of all, their ridicule.

I was also scared of myself... afraid of what I saw in the mirror and sad that I had lost what I believed - then - to be central to my prospects, my looks.

Face your Fears Week aims to raise everyone' awareness of the fear of disfigurement. I still experience 'scared' days just like I did but I'm now looking to overcome a new fear - THE SKYDIVE!!

Changing Faces helps people whose face or bodies look unusual to face their fears - and through our campaign for face equality, we are determined to enable everyone overcome their fear of disfigurement - by making it familiar and removing the stigma attached to it. 

My skydive is terrifying and asking for sponsorship is too - but I'm doing it for good reason. Please give as generously as you can to help us do the transforming - and you could join me in the skydive too if you'd like to! Just get in touch: james.partridge@changingfaces.org.uk 

Thank you very much...