Imogen Brooks becomes first NHS patient fitted with bespoke prosthetic tongue
Dr Imogen Brooks, 30, who lost most of her tongue to head and neck cancer, has become the first NHS patient fitted with a bespoke prosthetic tongue to help her speak and socialise.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Dr Imogen Brooks, 30, has become the first NHS patient to be fitted with a bespoke prosthetic tongue after losing most of her own tongue to head and neck cancer.
Brooks was diagnosed with head and neck cancer at 26. Surgery and cancer treatment left her unable to speak as she once had. She made a series of video diaries during her recovery, describing how her voice sounded and how difficult communication had become. She said people would sometimes look at her and panic when she spoke, and that the impact touched every social part of her life.
Working in medicine, Brooks began researching prosthetics and asked to be considered for treatment. A team at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London created the bespoke tongue for her. It is believed to be the first artificial tongue made on the NHS.
The prosthetic uses a silicone attachment that sits on a frame and moves with her jaw and mouth. Brooks said the movement helps her articulate different sounds by hitting different parts of her mouth. After trial and error, the team found a shape that worked for her.
She now wears the tongue almost every day, except when she is eating or sleeping. She said it has improved her ability to hold conversations and has made a difference to her work and social life. Those close to her treatment said she is an eloquent person and that not being understood had taken away part of her personality.
Brooks has joined the charity Young Tongues to speak about her experience and give hope to others who want to find their voice again. The medics involved said they hoped the work could benefit more people in future.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Most of Imogen Brooks's original tongue was removed three years earlier after a head and neck cancer diagnosis. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| Brooks researched prosthetics and asked to considered as a candidate for treatment because she worked in medicine. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Brooks wears the prosthetic almost every day except when eating or sleeping. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Imogen Brooks became the first NHS patient to receive an artificial tongue. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The prosthetic tongue was made by clinicians at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 treated the story as a warm human-interest lead, opening with Brooks' own account of how speech loss affected her daily life. It stressed the first-on-the-NHS milestone and the hospital collaboration that produced the tongue, then closed on her work with Young Tongues. The tone was hopeful and personal, with less emphasis on the technical process than on the social impact.
- “Often when I spoke to new people they would actually look at me and panic.”
- “It has enabled me to have better lines of conversations.”
- “The 30-year-old has now joined forces with the charity Young Tongues, speaking out to give hope to others wanting to find their voice again.”
5 News framed the item around Brooks' medical background and the experimental nature of the prosthetic, noting that she researched prosthetics and asked to be a candidate. It used before-and-after voice clips and explained that the team found a working shape after trial and error. The tone was admiring and accessible, with a strong focus on her improved work and social life.
- “She was just 26 years old when she was diagnosed with head and neck cancer”
- “When I move my series of speech, it hits different parts of my mouth for me to make different sounds.”
- “Imogen is enjoying rediscovering her voice again and it's hoped her experience will help others in the future.”
Broadcast Timeline
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