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Katie was enjoying a flourishing career as a model and TV presenter when a vicious attack left her hospitalised and with severe facial injuries. Thinking her life was all but over, she began a two-year rehabilitation period – having to put on a pressurised mask for 23 hours every day. After more than 70 operations and countless therapies, she still faces challenges but has rebuilt her life. Katie talks about resilience, finding untapped reserves of inner strength, and knowing when you can do something and when you need support.
View / Submit“She’s not only very inspirational, but also beautiful”
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Katie Piper is a presenter and broadcaster, model, writer and campaigner. She is the founder of the Katie Piper Foundation, a charity helping those afflicted by severe burns and scars. After a vicious attack left her with severe facial injuries, she has rebuilt her personal and professional life, becoming an inspiration and role model to millions.
As a young women working in promotional and fashion modelling, and with some early TV and website hosting work, Katie’s career as a model and presenter seemed to be headed in an exciting and positive direction until her partner physically attacked and threatened her. She ended the relationship but shortly afterwards the man hired an accomplice to assault and throw sulphuric acid in her face. The two men later received life sentences in prison.
The attack left Katie with severe burns and, due to swallowing some of the acid, blindness in one eye. A long and painful recovery followed including groundbreaking surgical techniques, scores operations and treatments in the UK and France, and months of rehabilitation. She continued reconstructive surgery for years after the assault.
Katie tells her story of physical and emotional recovery from her appalling experiences. She movingly talks about the support she received, her own personal determination, and the work of health and charity professionals. Her story and those of others affected by scars and burns has been told on the Channel 4’s Katie: My Beautiful Face and My Beautiful Friends (which Katie presented). She has also delivered the channel’s Alternative Christmas Message and has appeared on a number of factual programmes in the UK and US - as well as hosting her own show, The Katie Piper Breakfast Show. She's a regular guest and presenter on a range of lifestyle and factual programmes, has competed in Strictly Come Dancing, and has written a number of autobiographical and health and wellbeing books for both adults and children.
