The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists initiated
a Giving Voice campaign to highlight the challenges faced by more than 3
million people in the UK who have difficulties with communication because of
impaired speech or language. Additionally this campaign aims to raise awareness
of the valuable work of speech and language therapists. There are more than
5000 individuals in the Sheffield area on the books of speech and language
therapists.
Some children have difficulty in learning to speak because of specific speech and language impairments, others
may lose the ability to communicate as the result of illness, disease or
accident. One third of those who have had a stroke will find it difficult to
communicate.
Speech and language skills are often taken for granted but
are key to us being able to express our personality, achieve in education and
work as well as being central to many recreational activities.
Dr Sylvia Dunkley, the Mayor of Sheffield |
One of the Sheffield events in this campaign was hosted by
the University of Sheffield on Friday, 16 March. It was a unique event bringing together the
NHS, local authority, politicians, healthcare professionals, teachers, researchers
and those who educate speech and language therapists. Paul Blomfield (central
Sheffield MP), Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge MP)
Sir Andrew Cash OBE (Chief Executive of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation
Trust) councillor Dr Sylvia Dunkley (the Mayor of Sheffield) opened the event
with warm remarks reflecting on personal experiences of relatives and friends
who had speech and language difficulties and received support from speech and
language therapy. Professor Pam Enderby from the Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Research group also gave a presentation.
Vice Chancellor Keith Burnett |
There were moving presentations on videotape and in-person by
individuals with speech and language challenges (a person who has a stammer, a
person unable to communicate because of motor neurone disease, a person
challenged following a stroke, the mother of the child with autism and the
mother of a child with specific speech and language impairment) which brought home to the audience the significance
of the difficulties and the value of therapy. The University of Sheffield has an
internationally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate course to train
speech and language therapists. It is also involved in research relating to the
nature of speech and language disorders as well as unique methods for providing
therapy and augmentative communication.
The Vice Chancellor closed the event drawing attention to the devastating
effect of losing faculties previously taken for granted and the value of
support and therapy at times of radical life change.
[written by Pam Enderby]
[written by Pam Enderby]
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