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State Resolutions & Proclamations
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NATIONWIDE:
Congress Proclaims June 2009 Aphasia Awareness Month!
Boston, MA
The MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston got Mayor Tom Menino to declare Boston an Aphasia Awareness Zone, last June (2008).
New York City
Mayor Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, signed a proclamation recognizing Awareness Month in The Big Apple!
Has YOUR state been hard at work contacting your local legislature?
Let us know!
naa@aphasia.org
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Aphasia in D.C.!
Click here to see the Special Section in The Washington Times about Aphasia Awareness Month.
NAA @ the NYSE!
On June 16th, 2009, the NAA was invited to ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
Click here to see the video!
Members of Mona Greenfield's Community Group in NYC sat down and wrote out short speeches to share with us for Awareness Month:
"The words that I wanted to say I couldn’t grasp them anymore. There was no way I could see them. The fact is I can’t do it. The aphasia, it’s like a cement wall and I can’t get over it. Now there’s a little bit of things that I might be able to do to make things better."
-Mae Munroe-
"2 years ago, I was a paramedic studying to be a doctor and would have finished in 4 years. Then I had heart surgery and I had a stroke. At first I couldn't move my right arm or leg, and I could only say a few words - almost nothing. Then slowly, over time and with therapy, I started talking again. With a lot of hard work, very slowly I'm getting better. It's still hard for me to read and write. I used to love reading books, but now it's difficult. I use strategies all the time to help my speech, like spelling things with my hands. Having a stroke and aphasia is so hard, but I hope that if we all keep working together we will overcome it."
-Avi Golden-
"This is Coming from My Heart"
-Michelle-
"I'm Tinna. I had a stroke over 11 years ago in New York City.
I was born in Iran. My family and I escaped to Germany when I was a child. I spoke five languages and got a degree in business and languages. I moved to New York City and worked there. While in Manhattan, I suffered a massive stroke. This left me with aphasia. I did not speak for one year.
I most frustrating thing about aphasia is the difficulty I have to communicate. What is in my brain does not match what I say. I get angry at myself. To feel better, I like going to group meetings with other aphasics. They have the same problems talking. This speech therapies programs in Manhattan helps me a lot. It helps me get closer to my goal of speaking well. When people speak slowly it is easier for me to understand.
I am determined to speak well again."
-Tinna-
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Aphasia Awareness Month 2009!
Aphasia Recovery Through the Senses*
Click here to see the Awareness Month 2009 Poster*
*(Theme developed and Poster designed by the Aphasia Group at Metropolitan Communication Associates in NYC.)
 
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Meet Awareness Month 2009's Host Group!
Aphasia Group
Burke Rehabilitation
White Plains, NY
Click here to read more!
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Awareness Month Proclaimed in New York City
On June 4th, 2009, Mayor Bloomberg signed a Proclamation declaring June 2009 as National Aphasia Awareness Month in New York City. We were fortunate to have Marian Krauskopf,
Director, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and
Control, present the Proclamation at our Benefit on behalf on Mayor Bloomberg. Ms. Krauskopf (right) and NAA Executive Director Ellayne Ganzfried (left) are pictured above.
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Speaking of Aphasia hosts a NAA Happy Hour!
Montclair, NJ
Speaking of Aphasia enjoyed hosting its third annual Happy Hour Fundraiser for the National Aphasia Association at Just Jake’s in Montclair, New Jersey. Marilyn Certner Smith, Shirley Morganstein, and attendees enjoyed a variety of appetizers and drinks, while socializing with each other. People with aphasia and their friends and family also enjoyed the opportunity to meet and chat with Ellayne Ganzfried, Executive Director of the NAA. Some people with aphasia were from out of state and found out about the event on SOA’s newly launched Facebook website “Living Successfully with Aphasia”
The group included old friends who return each year to support the work of the NAA and enjoy the opportunity to reach out to the community and “teach” about aphasia.
-Marilyn Certner-Smith, MA, CCC-SLP
Speaking of Aphasia, LLC
marilyn@speakingofaphasia.com (973) 746-1151
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TWO Aphasia & Stroke Centers Open Their Doors!
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SCALE - Snyder Center for Aphasia Life Enhancement
Baltimore, MD
Click on the picture for more information!
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The Stroke Comeback Center Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Vienna, VA
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Outside ribbon cutting
Darlene Williamson, Founder and Executive Director, Stroke Comeback Center with Jane Seeman, Mayor, Town of Vienna, along with friends and staff from The Stroke Comeback Center (SCC) |
L-R: Darlene, Patty, John, Suzanne, Jane
Darlene Williamson, Founder & Executive Director of SCC; Patty Markarian, Chair of the Professional Board SCC; John Phillips, President of the Board, SCC; Suzanne Redmond, SLC at SCC; and Jane Seeman, Mayor, Town of Vienna |
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L-R: Robin, Darlene, Jerry, Paul
Son and Grandaughter (Jerry Kessler & Robin Kessler) of the Founder of The Kessler Medical Center with Darlene Williamson, the Founder and Executive Director of The Stroke Comeback Center and Paul Rao, Member of the Board of Directors, Stroke Comeback Center |
L-R: Patty, Julie, Carol, Patrick, Suzanne, Paul, Melissa
Patty Markarian, Chair of the Professional Board, SCC, Julie McGraw and Carol Kelly, Staff, SCC, Patrick Knight, Member SCC, Suzanne Redmond, SLP at SCC, Paul Berger, Chairman of the Consumer Board, Melissa Richman, SLP, and Program Director at SCC |
Click here to read about the ceremony in The Sun Gazette!
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Carondelet Aphasia Program
Tucson, AZ
"The members of the advocacy group in the Carondelet Aphasia Program in Tucson, AZ, sent a letter to a local news station about National Aphasia Awareness Month. We were thrilled to be invited for a live interview! See the link below. If the link doesn't connect, go to kvoa.com, click on News 4 at 4:00, and look for the video clip, 'What is Aphasia?' We are excited to play a role in advocating for individuals who have aphasia. With respect to other activities we did for National Aphasia Awareness Month...
1. In cooperation with the Adler program, we purchased car magnets (Aphasia: Loss of Language NOT Intellect) and distributed them to our members and hospital staff.
2. Members of the caregiver group made a poster about aphasia to display at the hospital.
3. One of our board members (Audrey Holland) purchased Aphasia buttons and we distributed them to the aphasia program members, caregivers, and outpatient rehabilitation staff to wear.
4. We put up a poster "June is National Aphasia Awareness Month" in the lobby of Outpatient Rehab. "
Click here to see the interview
-Fabiane M. Hirsch, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Program Lead
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The Aphasia Conversation Connection in Clayton, MO
"The St. Louis Post Dispatch featured one of the Aphasia Conversation Connection group members, Bill Sanford, in the Health and Fitness section for Aphasia Awareness Month. Here's the link:
"Stroke Survivor Talks the Talk"
We have received over a dozen inquiries about aphasia and our programs including a new one that is starting, the Community Aphasia Club at Village North. Bill's story has been an inspiration to many people who have aphasia and their family members."
-Fran Tucker, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Coordinator, Aphasia Conversation Connection
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The Good Shepherd Aphasia Support Group in Allentown, PA
 
...held a Bake Sale for the NAA and also wrote to all of their local hosptials for a dress down day to raise more money to donate and put up signs around their community about National Aphasia Month!!
-Meghan Kline, Group Facilitator
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The Adler Aphasia Center in Maywood, NJ
...was very busy this year both BEFORE and DURING Awareness Month 2009!
Click here to see how they celebrated!
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Dr. Linda Carozza & The New York Aphasia Group
"In honor of June as National Aphasia Month, I presented to the NY aphasia group regarding my research in conversational analysis and dementia on June 29, 2009.
The project consists of a question and answer dialogue and free speech segment using pictorial stimuli. The goal is to determine the best language strategies to use in conversation/communication groups for aphasics and indls with dementia. To date, results with demented participants suggest that direct question (WH - who/what/where/when) are more apt to yield accurate responses than open-ended questions of an indirect nature such as "tell me more about what you see in this picture." However, length of response is not affected.
I hope to continue my study with other volunteers both at the NY Aphasia Group and other venues. The role of research in promoting the understanding of rehabilitation techniques for community clients was discussed."
-Dr. Linda Carozza, DrLCarozza@aol.com
For more information about the New York Aphasia Group, visit
www.aphasianyc.org
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The Aphasia Center of West Texas in Midland, TX
  
"The Aphasia Center of West Texas celebrated National Aphasia Awareness Month
with:
Four educational newspaper articles,
an Open House at its new location with Center members and volunteers conducting tours (approx. 100 attended), public service announcements on a local television station, and 75 car magnets proudly displayed on vehicles in West Texas!"
-Kathryn Shelley, Executive Director
www.aphasiawtx.org
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HealthSouth MountainView in Morgantown WV
"...celebrated Aphasia Awareness month by kicking off the Speech Department's goal to train ALL clinical staff in "Supportive Conversation for Adults with Aphasia" techniques by December 2009. Training was begun with 22 staff members. We also had a display board posted with these techniques outside of our cafeteria for all to view.
As a fundraiser for our Aphasia Club, area restaurants and affiliated companies donated gift cards that we used for Aphasia Bingo. Staff paid to play at lunch time. The cards were designed with Aphasia Terminology and emotional words that often express how our member's with Aphasia describes their feelings. Throughout the course of the game, we would define some of the words or talk about those emotions and how staff can better communicate and support individuals with Aphasia. We are still waiting on the final tally of the fundraiser."
-Mary Burleson, Coordinator
Mary.Burleson@healthsouth.com
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M.A.G.I.C. in Iowa City, IA
"To follow up on the theme of ARTS (Aphasia Recovery Through the Senses), we decided to create a “paper quilt”. During our first meeting of the summer, each participant contributed a square symbolizing what their aphasia recovery has meant to them. Some of the images are more symbolic, some are literal. Some of our particpants just wanted to portray a feeling of contentment and enjoyment. We posted the finished squares in a quilt pattern on the bulletin board in the lobby of the Wendell Johnson Speech and Hearing Center, where they will remain until the end of the summer."
-Jean Gordon, Facilitator
M.A.G.I.C. (Modalities Aphasia Group - Improving Communication) 
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We Want to Hear From You!!!
We would love to include how YOU celebrated Awareness Month 2009. Email us at naa@aphasia.org with pictures and a small summary. |
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