A competition with a prize of a life-changing makeover is hotting up as the finalists facea the final vote.
A dentist and an aesthetic surgeon joined forces to create a ‘fairytale in a recession’ with help from a whole host of other professionals and businesses in the north east of England.
Mike Heads, of the Dental Healthcare Centre and Cleveland Cosmetic and Dental Implant Clinic, conjured up Dream Image North East along with Paul Baguley, a consultant plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, and the campaign was to discover a deserving member of the public to win the complete makeover experience.
Now, the three finalists will face an on-line public vote to decide their chance of winning a change of image worth tens of thousands of pounds.
All three – Jan Hoy from Reeth near Richmond, Julia Norman from Darlington and Phyllis Samuels from Stockton-on-Tees – require extensive cosmetic and dental treatment and voters are being asked to choose the most deserving person.
They heard of the judges’ decision when Yvonne Wallace and Linda Heads, project organisers and co-ordinators for Dream Image North East together with photographer, Gary Walsh, turned up on their doorstep with their confirmation letter and flowers.
Needless to say, the lucky finalists were over the moon and very emotional at their news.
Other business involved include Designer Dental Marketing, Diamond Press and Design, Rockliffe Hall, TFM Radio, Vita Medi-Spa, Impressions (beautician), Happy Leaves (website designer), PDS Dental Laboratory, Nobelbiocare (dental implant materials), Market Cross Jewellers, Gary Walsh Photography, Hooker and Young Hairdressers, Tees Active Ltd, The House – Yarm and Punch Robson Solicitors.
The nominees are:
• Mrs Janet Hoy. She is 59 years old and dreading her impending 60th birthday because she does not like the way she looks. Janet constantly looks after her disabled husband as well as dealing with a range of health issues, all of which she feels has contributed to her looking the way she does.
She suffers from long-term depression, epilepsy and arthritis and isolates herself, putting the needs of her husband and the rest of her family first.
She is ashamed of her teeth, her front top crowns are ill-fitting and she has receding gums – in Janet’s words ‘there are very few smiles’. She also has body issues due to weight loss and general lack of care.
Lack of sleep has impacted on her complexion and Janet is wanting to approach her 60th birthday with joy and confidence, making her 11 grandchildren proud. She feels winning Dream Image can do this for her.
• Julie Norman. She is 43 years old and was nominated by her daughter Daniella and also her own younger sister Lynda. Daniella says that her mum has done everything possible to provide care for her and her sister, always putting herself last.
Julie works full time and also takes time on an evening and weekend to look after abused children in a care home and also helps unemployed people gain qualifications to return to work. At a very young age, Julie suffered a trauma to her mouth, knocking out all of her front teeth and badly damaging her mouth.
She now has an ill-fitting denture that is painful and she is embarrassed about – because of this she rarely smiles. Lynda gave an insight into Julie’s earlier years and says that, from a very early age, she brought her up and shielded her from the harsh reality of their family life.
She mentions how upset Julie is about her tooth loss and how it would mean so much to the ways she would look and feel if she had the dental care and cosmetic treatment that was needed to improve her smile and her face.
• Phyllis Samuels. She is 52 years old and was nominated by her daughter Rebecca. Phyllis was brought up in the care of the local authority and had a very unsettling upbringing in care homes and orphanages.
Although some of her needs were met, care and attention to brushing her teeth, etc, were neglected; she now has badly discoloured teeth and a mouthful of fillings. She is very embarrassed about this and would dearly love to have treatments to improve her teeth.
She has also had cancer on two occasions, both leaving scarring to her mouth, nose and cheek. Phyllis is the full-time carer for her mum and brother as well as bringing up three children on her own – this has meant her needs have been neglected.
Rebecca feels that it is now time for her mum to shine and something truly amazing happen to her as a reward for her dedication to other people.
To vote, go to www.dreamimagenortheast.co.uk.
