News

Access to Life in Cornwall starts Aphasia Awareness Campaign

17 January 2008

People with aphasia in Cornwall are leading a grassroots campaign called 'You are NOT alone…get connected'. They are giving speeches to community groups such as the WI, Rotary and British Legion in order to find 1,000 people with aphasia who have 'disappeared'.

5,000 people living in Cornwall have survived a stroke. Connect's Access to Life team estimates that there are at least 1,200 people with aphasia in the county, but only 200 of them are known to the health and social care workers who want to help them.

Eleven people with aphasia have volunteered to ask organisations to help us find the 1,000 individuals with aphasia who have 'disappeared'.  All of the volunteers are active members of the Access to Life 'Hub' groups which aim to develop self-support networks across Cornwall.

Hub members consulted each other to agree key messages about aphasia that they wanted to convey, regardless of who is scheduled to deliver the speech.

Coached by Eddie, our speakers with aphasia rehearsed their speeches in a village hall before an audience of their Hub colleagues. Then they modified the speech content. All of the speakers talk about their life before stroke, what it is like to live with aphasia and how they are getting on with re-building their lives.

At the end of the speech, audience members are given a You are NOT alone leaflet to take back to the community. They are urged to pass it on to anyone who may know of someone who has aphasia. The leaflet includes a pre-paid response form and an invitation to get connected.     

Sometimes the speakers falter to find words, but their determination to discover and support other people with aphasia is clear. They are offering people who may not even know they have aphasia the opportunity to make new friends, try out new opportunities and get involved in Access to Life.

To find out more or to get involved contact Kate Mitchell

Connect (The Access to Life Project)
Unit 8, Old Cowlins Mill
Penhallick, Carn Brea
Redruth
Cornwall TR15 3YR
 
Telephone:   01209 716501
Email:           katemitchell@ukconnect.org

Find out more about the Access to Life in Cornwall project

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