Brain injury survivor forges new photography career

A former detective who sustained life-changing injuries in a cycling crash is sharing his story to help raise awareness of brain injury.

David Baker from Wareham, Dorset, was seriously injured in a crash with a van as he rode home from work in 2016.

He has no memory of the incident which forced him to leave his job as a police detective.

Now a photographer, he wants to encourage other brain injury survivors to find new ways of living their lives.

The 49-year-old features in an awareness campaign - A Life Re-Written - by the charity Headway which explores how brain injury can alter people's sense of identity.

Mr Baker learned from witnesses that, on the day of his accident, a Transit van turned across his path.

"I had no time to react, apparently, and I went head-first into the side of the van," he said.

His cycling helmet saved his life but he suffered brain damage and lost his sight in one eye.

He said: "I lost my identity the moment I had that accident. I was always a police officer and that's all I've ever done.

"I'm still dealing with it in many ways. Depression and anxiety is all part and parcel of a brain injury."

While recovering, Mr Baker began experimenting with photography, initially taking photos of his beloved dog, Rapha.

He said: "I decided I needed to retrain and prove to myself I could still do something, so I went back to uni."

He earned a degree in commercial photography from the Arts University Bournemouth and now his work is being used in the Headway awareness campaign.

He said: "I think anybody who has a brain injury needs to have the support of other people, but you also need to do things that get you speaking about what's happened to you - getting on with life and socialising and not hiding away."

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