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Years After Suffering Strokes, Software Helps Two Very Different Aphasia Sufferers Regain Ability to Communicate

WordQ + SpeakQ Highlight Two Comeback Stories to Commemorate Aphasia Awareness Month

BALTIMORE, MD--June 7, 2011 Dr. David Larach was chief of cardiac anesthesiology at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson Maryland when in 2001 he suffered a massive stroke.

Waynet Jones was a human resources professional for JP Morgan in Maryland when in 2005 she too suffered a massive stroke.

Two very different lives have been affected by the same permanent side effect of their stroke. David and Waynet both suffer from aphasia and lost their ability to communicate.

June is nationally recognized as Aphasia Awareness Month. Aphasia is defined as a loss or reduction of language following brain damage typically as a result of a stroke. This includes talking, understanding, reading, and/or writing. David and Waynet have worked long and hard to regain their ability to put their thoughts into language. Both have been successful at regaining their ability to communicate by using WordQ + SpeakQ.

WordQ + SpeakQ helps stroke and aphasia patients turn thoughts and ideas into language. Aphasia patients who use WordQ two times a week or more for six weeks improved their accuracy, comprehension, and ability to speak words by 15-24 percent, according to research conducted by Donna Polelle, Ph.D.

Seven years after his stroke, David Larach has resumed his writing and research career. He recently coauthored and published "A Life Worth Living: Seven Years After Craniectomy" in the medical journal, Neurocritical Care. http://tiny.cc/SCALE_David_Larach.

Five years later, Waynet Jones has returned to the board of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., a Down Syndrome Advocacy Group based in Frederick County, Maryland, and has joined the board of the Stroke Comeback Center. She relies on WordQ + SpeakQ to keep her meeting notes.

David is a member of the Snyder Center for Aphasia Life Enhancement (SCALE). SCALE is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life for people living with aphasia and their families. SCALE is the Baltimore area's first dedicated aphasia support and community center. scalebaltimore.org

Waynet is a member of the Stroke Comeback Center. Located in Vienna, VA. The Stroke Comeback Center is a community based nonprofit organization that provides programs for stroke families. It is the only center of its kind in the Washington, DC area. strokecomebackcenter.org.

MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS:

QUOTES

Neil MacGregor, vice president for learner development with GoQ Software, Dover, NH

"Users don’t learn from WordQ, they learn with WordQ. They learn with WordQ by having constant reinforcement both in what they’re seeing in their writing and how it sounds, so they’re getting a constant multimodal reinforcement"

“Because they’re using their learning skills and WordQ + SpeakQ isn’t applying some kind of auto grammar correct, they’re actually engaging what they know about the language with what’s represented on the page and how it all sounds.”

Denise McCall, Executive Director--Snyder Center for Aphasia Life Enhancement, Baltimore, MD

"The most empowering use of software for aphasia is in allowing people to use it to reengage. The need for alternative ways to communicate is huge."

Donna Polelle, Ph.D, speech-language pathologist

“People with these challenges (aphasia) tend to become increasingly isolated. Very few go back to work, they typically cannot drive and are often homebound and alone. They can’t read, so they usually pass time sitting in front of the television. WordQ provides a way for people with aphasia to understand and connect with others. One participant is now emailing me all by himself.”

About GoQ Software: Used by millions of people worldwide, WordQ + SpeakQ is the first and only integrated word prediction and speech recognition tool available. WordQ + SpeakQ is assistive technology that discreetly and seamlessly integrates with any writing application.

From Word to Facebook, email to Twitter, WordQ + SpeakQ helps writers of any age or skill level communicate efficiently and effectively-it is a uniquely personal experience.

WordQ + SpeakQ is distributed in the United States by GoQ Software located in Dover, NH. More information is available at GoQSoftware.com

Stroke Comeback Center, Vienna, VA

Christopher M. Williams
Director, Strategic Communications
Cookson Stephens Corporation

chris@cooksonstephens.com / 603.782.8192 (o) / 603.630.1259 (c)

Call Toll Free: 877-674-7687

Years After Suffering Strokes, Software Helps Two Very Different Aphasia Sufferers Regain Ability to Communicate