Who We Are

In February 2006 Darrell Purdy, the Founder and President of LifeDream International Foundation, was granted 501(c)3 status to formally move the work of his life's dream of responding to the hopes, dreams and wishes of men, women and children living with craniofacial conditions.

A grass roots organization, LifeDream is in the developmental process and one day will be fully able to serve those in the craniofacial community so that anyone needing and wanting the best available treatment and support enabling them to greatly minimize if not completely eradicating the role craniofacial disfiguring conditions play on the human spirit and the body.

Click here to learn how you can get involved in the fight to put a new face on hope.

What We Know

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) over 5.8 million men, women and children living in the United States do so with at least one significant craniofacial deformity and in the coming year it is estimated that close to two out of every 1,000 infants born will be joining them. We can all agree, this is not good news. More disturbing, however, is that the available medical treatment and ancillary support services dramatically falls short of the current need

The Costs

Too often the costs for reconstructive craniofacial procedures is more than a person can reasonably afford. Often costs can run into the millions of dollars. What makes this even more problematic is that health insurance and managed care companies do not choose to recognize that ongoing medical procedures needed by craniofacial patients are not cosmetic, but are reconstructive in nature and medically necessary. So managed care and health insurance companies are consistently unhelpful.

The Complexities

Depending on the level of impact associated with the craniofacial condition treatment options can be very extensive involving several medical specialties.

The Time

Depending on the craniofacial condition years of treatment can be required.

The Work Begins Now

In the coming days, weeks, months and years LifeDream will be building it's capacity to meet it's mission of supporting each person's desire to fully embrace their hopes, dreams and wishes without having to contend with the barrier of their craniofacial conditions getting in the way.

To do this LifeDream is gathering a team of experts, committed service providers and funds to support making the impossible possible and the possible remarkable. Bringing together the best from the medical community with the best from the private venture community LifeDream is putting together a holistic approach that captures the wants and needs of the spirit, body and soul.

The Future

The present is filled with possibilities for those living with craniofacial deformities but the future is even brighter. LifeDream is in the process of identifying a site for it's international craniofacial campus. It will be a place where people living with craniofacial deformities, their families, and friends will be welcomed with opened arms and offered our services regardless of ability to pay or complexity of the condition. If LifeDream has services that can help they will be made available.

The best and most advanced technologies and resources will be a part of the LifeDream International Craniofacial Campus. The campus will also serve as a retreat site and a teaching facility where care providers from all over the world can come for specialized training in not only the "medical sciences" but the "sciences of the heart" as well.

The Conclusion