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| Mission Statement |
Angel Faces is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide healing retreats and ongoing support designed to inspire adolescent girls with severe facial disfigurements to achieve their optimum potential and develop meaningful relationships for themselves, their families and their communities.
Painting by Angel Faces Participant, Amanda, 14 years old  |
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| A note from Lesia Cartelli, Founder and Director | | Dear
Friend: 
Our seventh annual retreat will take place in one
month, June 20 - 26. This will be the
biggest retreat we've had. In addition
to our numbers, over 90% of the girls attending are new to the program. We've had to add a day to the week and hire a
second licensed therapist. I've been fine tuning the program schedule addressing
the specific needs of the girls. This is
what Angel Faces is all about - personal attention and direction to assisting
the girls on a good healing path. I can
hardly wait!
As I mentioned in the last newsletter, reading the
girls' applications is both heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. I wanted to share Larisa's story with you.
Larisa before her accident  | Last September, Larisa was on her way to attend her
best friend's 16th birthday party when her car hydroplaned in the
rain, went into a ditch, and hit a power pole. The pole broke and fell down
onto the car. The doctor explained that Larisa had an electric burn thru her
body, 2nd and 3rd degree skin burns on her head, face,
neck, shoulders, chest, arms and left hand. Most of that area was 3rd degree burn which would need grafting.
Larisa after her accident  | Larisa has endured much in the last eight months: long
stays at the hospital; a ventilator; feeding tube; numerous surgeries; speech,
physical, and occupational therapies; and the loss of sight in one eye. This in addition to missing school, working
her job at Sonic, hanging out with friends, and looking different.
Larisa's journey has been challenging, no doubt. Yet, she emailed me just last week with a
suggestion for a retreat activity. I am
amazed at her initiative to reach out, share ideas and anticipate what she will
learn at Angel Faces.
Seeing, reading, and hearing the stories of the girls
make us deeply grateful for all of you who are supporting us and for our
treasured Angel Faces volunteers.
The cost to send one girl through the program is
$3,500. This provides licensed therapists
to work with the girls through their loss and trauma issues; retreat
accommodations, which includes three organic meals a day; and supplies for art
therapy, spa experience, and corrective cosmetic sessions. The supplies allow
professional massage therapists, estheticians, make-up artists, and art
therapists to donate their valuable time, and support volunteer efforts.
This week long experience gives girls the opportunity
to bond and develop deep friendships. Role-playing sessions teach methods for handling stares and teasing.
Attendees also participate in goal-setting exercises, daily yoga sessions,
hiking, and swimming. At the end of the
retreat, the girls have made positive changes in their outlook and self-esteem - heading in a new healthy direction.
Please consider supporting Angel Faces with a donation
toward this life changing experience. Your
contribution would mean the world to a girl like Larisa.
Thank you so much for opening your heart to us.
With gratitude,
Lesia Cartelli
Founder and Director
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