Deborah Alessi is Face Forward - Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Not all heroes wear capes! Deborah Alessi, the founder of Face Forward, is changing lives, and if you haven't heard of her yet, now is the time. Face Forward is a not-for-profit organization that provides free life-changing surgeries and emotional support to those who have been victims of cruel acts. Alessi and her organization have witnessed some of the most heartbreaking stories, which is why we are overjoyed that they have grown to over 13 countries and are still rapidly expanding! Face Forward is a truly special and powerful organization. Please keep reading to learn more about Face Forward, upcoming fundraising events, and ways you can get involved.

Where are you based?
Face Forward International was founded and operates primarily out of Beverly Hills, though we have been expanding our Physician support and have started sending patients to several doctors we have connected with in Dallas, TX, which is also a target for a satellite office location in the next year. I am personally currently based in Dubai, continuing the growth and expansion of my brand Beverly Hills Wellness and Aesthetics. We are also targeting Dubai for a future additional satellite location, to be better able to serve even more International survivors in the Middle East and surrounding areas.

You are the founder of Face Forward, a not-for-profit organization that provides life-changing surgeries and support to those affected by cruel acts. Can you tell us a bit about your organization and what inspired you to create it?
I have always said that Face Forward found me, as I am personally a survivor of domestic violence. So, the cause has always been one that is very personal to me. We help survivors of violence, including intimate partner, human trafficking, acid attacks and other cruel acts to receive free life changing surgery and emotional support. We are helping them with their healing and reconstruction from the inside out. I had no idea when I started this charity of the tremendous need for our services, but in 14 years we have grown from a small local group to a now internationally known and recognized charity providing care to survivors from 13 different countries around the globe and growing. Of all my business accomplishments in life, Face Forward has been my "labor of love" and the one I take the most pride in. Giving back and helping others is so incredibly important, especially as a survivor myself, you have to lead by example.

Face Forward has reached over 13 countries and is rapidly growing. What are your hopes for further growth? Do you hope to be in every country? Are there any countries you feel need Face Forward more than others?
The growth with satellite locations in other states and countries is of course the first step for expansion, but we are already serving clients from all over the world. We fly them to the U.S., provide the airfare and accommodations and set our survivors up with some of the top plastic and reconstructive surgeons in the world. Our goal is to ensure they are receiving the best care and treatment, at no cost to them. Not being able to afford surgery should not be a factor in helping someone heal from abuse. We are truly helping change their lives, helping heal the internal and external scars so they can move forward with confidence as inspirational leaders for others in the future. We would love to see Doctors from all over the world joining forces with us, donating their time to support local patients, but we will make sure our patients get to wherever the best doctors are located for their best care, regardless of where they live. The care they receive should not be restricted just because certain surgeons regionally may not have the same skill sets as others, we really are a kind of full-service concierge continuum of care if you will. Though we are based in the U.S., which is where most of our patients have come from, we have definitely seen an increase in the past five years for requests for help from acid attack survivors from various parts of Africa and Asia, though we have had acid attacks from the U.S, South America and the UK as well. Violence and abuse have no borders.

How do you find your surgeons across the world? Is it harder to find doctors who are interested in being a part of the organization in some areas? What do you do in these cases?
Most surgeons and specialists, though not all of course, are typically very open and responsive when asked to help support our survivors. In the past we focused most efforts on recruiting doctors in the Los Angeles area, because of the caliber of physicians and various specialty areas. The reality is not all reconstructive surgeons have worked with severe cases like burn or acid attack, or shot guns blasts to the face etc., so we need doctors who are familiar with treatment for these types of cases, and who can think outside the box when it comes to long term health and healing solutions for the survivors. There are always new and cutting-edge techniques, so we want them to have the best possible care. The location of the survivor or the physician is just an obstacle we navigate in the care plan process.

You have some heart-breaking survivor stories on your site. How do you find your patients? What helps you determine if they qualify?
We get patients from a number of different ways, a lot of them come from nonprofit partners that we have connected with throughout the years. What we do is just one piece of the jigsaw, in a much larger issue of violence. So, we get referrals from other DV, Acid Attack and Human Trafficking organizations, we get direct outreach from survivors who found us online from press articles or interviews or saw us on social media. They have to fall under our mission of service, as a survivor of an act of violence against them who cannot otherwise afford the cost of surgical care, they have to agree to emotional therapy services pre and post-surgery, and then they sign an agreement to "Pay it Forward", to give back and help raise awareness and support for others in their local communities, or on a global scale, whatever way is safe and comfortable for them. They can share their story publicly or anonymously, they can donate time at their local domestic violence shelters, or they can go to school to become Doctors themselves and donate their talents in the future! We want to help survivors thrive after suffering from some of the most horrendous crimes committed against them.

You have had a few cases of women who have been burned with acid by family members. These sound so hard. What goes into helping these women?
We have had numerous Acid Attack patients actually, female, male and even children. Each case is unique, and the healing journey is long. Our job when they come to us for surgery is to help provide them lots of love and long-term emotional support, from professional therapists and through peer and volunteer support while they undergo surgeries, which are typically numerous procedures over many years. Every patient has a very unique and personal story, and everyone heals from trauma at their own pace. We navigate care services based on the individual, and the pace of their healing, not on the crime that was committed against them.

Do you have any favorite survivor stories?
Well, that's sort of like asking a mother to pick her favorite child, there are so many amazing stories. We have helped so many incredible survivors over the years, but I'd say that from recent years, a Mother and Daughter who were acid attacks survivors from Cambodia really touched my heart in a lot of ways. Prior to them coming to us for surgery, I was also able to visit their village in Cambodia, see where they lived and the poverty-stricken area that they came from. The mother was blinded from the attack over 10 years ago, and doctors there had not been able to give either of them any additional treatment for numerous years. So, to bring them to Los Angeles, provide them with surgery and watch this little girl and her mother blossom and flourish when they returned home after six months of care with our doctors was extraordinary. Our next step with them is actually a surgeon originally from Cambodia who trained with a top ocular specialist at UCLA, will return to Cambodia soon and provide a surgery that will actually help restore the mother's vision!

Caitlyn Jenner, Stephen Kramer, Glickan, CeeLo Green, and others attended your latest fundraiser. Any upcoming fundraising events or news about your organization that you would want to share?
Actually yes, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we're finally planning the return of our "Laugh it Forward" Comedy show event both in Los Angeles and for the first time in Dallas. Also, one of our sponsors Olivela.com will also be sponsoring a Brunch and Trunk Show event in Dallas that same month, with hostess Tiffany Moon, who was on the Real Housewives of Dallas and is also an Anesthesiologist who will be donating her services for our survivors in the future as well.

Is there any way our readers can help support Face Forward?
Of course....as a charity we survive on the support of the generous giving hearts of others! Individuals, charitable foundations and corporations are always needed as cash or in-kind donors, and we are always looking for volunteers who would like to join our Board or Committees. We also need remote Interns who can help with online fundraising and social media campaigns and can help us raise awareness in their own communities. And of course, Surgeons and doctors of various specialties are always needed to donate time and talent.

Domestic violence is a huge issue across the globe; however, we saw a rise of it with the pandemic. Have you had to take on more cases? Has current events impacted Face Forward at all?
Absolutely, we have seen not only the increase in violence around the globe during the past several years, but also an increase in the number of survivors reaching out for help. When the world slowed down or shut down, it seemed people had more time to research where to find help. We have the longest waiting list for care we've ever had because the demand is so large, and our doctors are backed up with scheduling. But when the rest of the world shut down, my Executive Director and I faced the challenges head on and figured out how we instead spent the time networking, expanding and ultimately growing the organization. Now we just need more support and funding to help keep up with the growth and to hire additional staff to help meet the demand!

Ukraine’s war is leaving the people in bad shape. Is there any plan to get out there?
As with any mass tragedy, shootings, bombings, acts of war, etc. we know there are a number of much larger organizations leading in the global charitable efforts to help meet the immediate and emergency needs of those directly impacted. We stay on the pulse of these world crises keeping connected with our partners and reminding them that if any cases they are working with are in need of our help that we are here for them. Typically, survivors will come to us months or years after such massive events when local support services have run out and we are needed for the longer and ongoing surgical care cases. We do continued outreach and help raise awareness and support for these tragedies through social networks, emails lists etc., to remain active in helping support immediate efforts locally, while we prepare for the future long-term impacts of those who have been devastated by acts of war and the like, at home and abroad.

What is your motto in life?
Work Hard Play Hard, you always have to have a strong balance in life.

Please use the link below to learn more about Face Foward and to access their website:
www.faceforwardintl.org