Face in the Mirror Foundation

Face In The Mirror began after Barbara MacLean, Founder visited her oldest sister Charlotte who was suffering from breast cancer. After making Charlotte’s  "face over" she ask Barbara to "do this for others, as no one cares what you look like when you’re sick" Barbara made her that promise...and the “Face in the Mirror” was born. Shortly after that day, Charlotte passed in Sept. of 2001. Barbara kept her promise and today, throughout many Arizona hospitals, volunteers are taking the Mission of care and giving back dignity to over 2,500 women annually who are suffering from all types of cancer. The patient is pampered,  at her bedside, and throughout the oncology departments, given a "spa" treatment, a relaxing facial, a hand and foot massage, a beautiful hat, or scarf, a signature gift bag filled with healthy facial and cosmetic products, a blanket and a wig.  Leaving them with a smile and spirits lifted.

A Division to the child soon began.  All About Us Kids, a Mission of “pampering mixed with love” now annually given to over 1,500 children. We provide gender/age specific gifts along with our AAUK Smiley Face signature shirt and cap. Many children are alone many hours, our hope is to give them an emotional brake from all the medicines, and bring a smile or laughter to their lives. We visit the burn and trauma units as well as those suffering from cancer. 

 FIM4MEN began in 2010, giving back hope and self esteem to men suffering with cancer.  The Mission is provided annually to over 600 men at bedside. Relaxing facials, to shaving the face, along with a relaxing foot – hand massage is offered to aid in the stresses and events of his day.  FIM4MEN is the only Mission of its type to the man in the US.

Monthly “In Celebration of Life” tea parties are provided to the patient in partnership with St. Joseph Medical Center. The tea is a good place to meet others, enjoy an afternoon tea, learn and listen to “special speakers” or be “the featured” patient, giving hope and again providing a break away from their stressful, medical world.

A” Relaxation Retreat”... the first of its type in the country, was open to the patient as a complimentary service. An appointment is necessary to those in and out of the hospital and is located inside Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa Az. We provide a place to listen to music, read, play, get a makeover, find a wig that makes them feel better or to sit and just be quiet.

Barbara comments, “There are many who need a hug, a makeover, a pampering spa like experience.  The woman who wakes up to find her hair has fallen out on her pillow, to the man who has no strength left to put his shaver to his face, to the child who was “dropped off” and no one is there to rock and sing a lullaby, we try to provide this. We meet head-on, the psychologically and emotionally effects Cancer brings with it.  I made a promise to my sister, and now over 25,000 lives have been given “essential touch since that fateful day. We will continue to give that same essential touch, to as many as we can, and as long as we can.  We cannot do this alone; we need help in so many ways.  This type undertaking “takes a village” ...there is so much need”

In Summary the Mission of Face in the Mirror provides “medicine” for the  human spirit, hope for the heart, and a total  psychologically pick up through essential human touch!

Our Mission is to leave the patient “Smiling Back at Cancer”