Simon Cowell becomes patron of burns charity set up by model left disfigured after acid attack

Simon Cowell becomes patron of burns charity set up by model left disfigured after acid attack. Standing tall and beaming with pride, it is hard to believe that just a year ago she was disfigured and afraid to leave her house.

But Katie Piper is the perfect advertisement for the groundbreaking surgery which has given her her beauty back.

The 26-year-old former model suffered horrific burns to her face and neck after she became the victim of an acid attack orchestrated by her jealous ex-boyfriend.

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'Inspirational': Simon Cowell poses with acid attack victim Katie Piper at the launch of her new burns charity foundations at Sony HQ in London last night

She has undergone more than 40 operations including pioneering surgery at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and had five intensive three-week blocks of treatment at the Centre Ster in Lamalou, France.

Now Miss Piper has set up a charity in her name to help hundreds of burns victims get over their injuries and lead a normal life.

Patroned by Simon Cowell as well as the doctor who gave the TV presenter her face back, the Katie Piper Foundation will offer medical treatment and support.

In March 2008, Katie was raped, beaten and held hostage by her jealous ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch, who then hired a man to disfigure her face.

Brave: Katie (left) shortly after the sulphuric acid attack by a man hired by boyfriend Daniel Lynch which blinded her in one eye; and at the launch last night

Stefan Sylvestre waited for Miss Piper in a busy London street and hurled a cup of sulphuric acid at her before running away.

The acid stripped away four layers of the 26-year-old's skin as well as going down her throat. It left her blind in one eye, her features damaged beyond recognition and her throat burned out. It was the worst case of acid burns the doctors had seen.

In May 2009, at Wood Green Crown Court, North London, Lynch and his accomplice Sylvestre were told by the judge that they were 'the face of pure evil'. Both were jailed for life for their actions.

Miss Piper bravely waived her anonymity and made a Channel 4 programme called My Beautiful Face, documenting her recovery.

Battler: Katie underwent 40 operations and a daily routine of deep tissue massage and various treatments to get her face back

In it, the pretty 26-year-old talked of learning to cope with her disfigurement as well as her courageous battle to recover.

Wearing a mask to protect much of her face, she vowed to get through the attack and help other victims come to terms with their injuries.

She credited the daily routine of treatments, including deep tissue massage, physiotherapy, skin-softening endomology machines, hydrotherapy, silicone and pressure garments, as a key part of her recovery.

Standing tall: Katie said she previously thought beauty was about being the prettiest person in the room - but her views have been changed

Evil: Daniel Lynch, who was jailed for life after raping TV presenter Katie Piper and then arranging for acid to be thrown in her face

Miss Piper said: 'I want the clinic to be a place where people can learn to overcome the psychological barriers of living with disfigurement and concentrate on rebuilding their lives.

'The NHS does provide some methods for scar management, but unfortunately cannot provide intense block therapy using all methods under one roof in a rehabilitation environment.'

Cowell, who contacted her after watching the Channel 4 programme, said: 'Katie is one of the most inspiring people I have met.

'She is brave, talented and determined and I think what she is doing with the Katie Piper Foundation is incredible.'

At last night's official launch in west London, Cowell joined the charity's three trustees - Mohammed Jawad, the reconstruction surgeon who performed pioneering surgery on Miss Piper at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Ros Ponder, media adviser and television producer, and commercial adviser Martin Dix.

'Really touched': Cowell told the audience he wanted to meet 'brave and determined' Katie when he learned of her story in a Channel Four documentary

Miss Piper said her ordeal has changed her view of beauty and she aims to offer non-medical advice to burns victims to build up their confidence through hairstyling, make-up and mentoring.

'Beauty used to mean to me being the person with the best figure, the prettiest person walking into a room - that's what I thought beauty was,' she said. 'But I have realised that is was nothing - it was a false and superficial view.

'I hope by sharing experiences the Katie Piper Foundation can help other disfigured people to build in confidence, to stand tall and feel beautiful too.'

Sharing a joke: The lasting legacy of the attack can be seen as Simon and Katie smile on stage ( dailymail.co.uk )