//cimpher

When I finally began shooting and producing documentaries for various UK companies, much of the work focused on medical stories.

I have a theory: the Victorian freak show never really left the UK — it just evolved into television. Shows like The Only Way Is Essex, Embarrassing Bodies, The Undateables, and a long line of medical documentaries often carry a tone of "look at these people."

One of the projects I worked on was originally titled Operation Miracle, then renamed My Brave Face — though I believe it eventually reverted to the original name.

The series explored different medical conditions, surgeries, and the people who lived through them.

I was incredibly fortunate to follow the recovery of Robert Chambers, the first Black man to receive a full face transplant. Over several months, I documented his story, often staying with him in Boston during his recovery.

Robert is a remarkable human being — warm, generous, and endlessly optimistic. That he let a complete stranger into his life during such a vulnerable time is something I’ll never forget. I became close with him and his caretaker early in his journey.

I never saw the final version of the series, but I hope to someday.

Here is a great article in Time Magazine about Robert.