Brain injury survivor forges new photography career

David Baker went back to university to retrain as a photographer after his injury

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.

Mr Baker began taking photographs of his border collie, Rapha

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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