Date: 27 October 2006
Norwood Ladies decide that plastic is not fantastic
You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as Ann Widdecombe MP and leading Harley Street cosmetic plastic surgeon Angelica Kavouni went head to head on Thursday 19 October on behalf of Norwood for a special debate on the merits of cosmetic surgery entitled “Is Plastic Fantastic?” The debate, chaired by TV presenter and author Lowri Turner and organised by Norwood’s Food and Thought Committee, followed a Ladies Lunch at North London restaurant Upstairs@N20. More than 130 ladies attended the event, raising £9,000 for the UK’s leading Jewish Children & Family Services charity.
Angelica Kavouni began by illustrating the ways in which cosmetic surgery can transform the lives of people born with cleft palates and those who have suffered disfigurement, such as burns victims. She went on to argue that adults have every right to request surgery for purely cosmetic reasons, and part of her job is to ensure that they are aware of the risks involved: “I believe in educating people and making sure that they have procedures done for the right reasons. Sometimes I turn people away if I feel that they are not emotionally ready for a procedure”.
Ann Widdecombe hit back, claiming that many people were putting themselves at unnecessary risk by going under a general anaesthetic for reasons of vanity and insecurity – with the media having to take its share of the blame: “The values of today’s society have been turned upside down. We increasingly worship perfection and this is squeezing out the spiritual, the emotional, the intellectual. There is a woeful lack of proportionality, and people are opting for surgery as a quick fix when, in fact, there is a deeper underlying psychological problem that needs to be addressed”.
During the ensuing question and answer session, several members of the audience recounted their experiences of surgery, explaining their reasons for having it done and the effects such procedures had had on their lives. The debate ended with a vote which resulted in a narrow victory for Ann Widdecombe, who was delighted to have come out on top: “I am glad to support so worthwhile a cause as Norwood and I am very relieved that my side won, because if such sensible ladies had voted the other way, it would have been a very bad sign for the future”, she said.
Norwood Community Fundraiser Emma Sharp, who organised the lunch, was extremely pleased with the day. She said: ”It was a really lively debate that gave the audience food for thought. I’d like to thank our speakers and all of the ladies who attended, I hope that they will continue to support us in the future. I would also like to thank our sponsor Restylane and Elemis for donating bags of cosmetics.”
For further information please contact David Wosner, Public Relations Officer at Norwood on 020 8420 6942 or email david.wosner@norwood.org.uk
