My Face is Killing Me

The charity Facing Africa has sent a team of British medics to Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world. Comprising maxillofacial, reconstructive, plastic and dental surgeons, the focus is on helping people with extreme deformities and facial problems. Zinash Ali is desperate for doctors to remove a seven-pound tumour from her mouth. It started growing six years ago and now she can’t sleep, has trouble breathing, can only consume liquids and is bullied when she goes out. Some of the people in her village have even said she is cursed. When the team arrives in Ethiopia there’s no time to spare and we watch as they prepare for a complex operation in which Zinash’s jaw will be recreated using her tibia. Maxillofacial surgeon Kelvin Mizen takes the lead, using virtual planning software to recreate her face from recent scans. He then sets about making a plastic gum and new set of teeth, ready to be implanted when the tumour is removed. A moving documentary about extraordinary people dedicated to making lives better.