Speakability, the national charity supporting people with Aphasia, is set to merge with the Stroke Association from April 2015. The merger is part of ambitious plans to ensure more stroke survivors across the UK living with the communication disability receive vital support.

Around a third of stroke survivors experience Aphasia, which affects a person’s ability to communicate.

Jon Barrick, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association, said: “Stroke is an incredibly cruel condition. It can hit you out of nowhere and rob you of your ability to read, write and speak. By teaming up with Speakability, we can provide more stroke survivors with the advice and support they need to overcome an extremely frustrating and isolating disability.”

Melanie Derbyshire, Speakability Chief Executive, said: “For those who have Aphasia, every aspect of their day-to-day life and relationships are likely to be negatively affected.

When Action for Dysphasic Adults (now Speakability) was formed by Diana Law 35 years ago, there was little or no provision for people living with Aphasia. Now much has changed, in no small part due to our campaigning work and our national network of local Self-Help Groups.

Whilst stroke is not the only cause of Aphasia, it is by far the biggest single cause. Our merger with the Stroke Association will enable us to direct finite resource to reaching and offering support to many more of the estimated 400,000 people in the UK living with Aphasia as well as their families and carers.”

The Stroke Association provides advice and practical support to help stroke survivors with Aphasia.

For more information, visit www.stroke.org.uk/Aphasia or call 0303 303 3100.

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For further information, case studies, interviews and images please contact the Stroke Association’s media team on 020 7566 1500 or email [email protected]

For urgent out of hours media enquiries only please call 07799 436 008. ISDN facilities available.

About Speakability:

• Aphasia (sometimes called dysphasia) is the loss of speech and language which occurs because of damage to the language centres of the brain during a stroke, head injury or as the result of a brain tumour or other neurological condition or illness e.g. multiple sclerosis or meningitis. Aphasia can be temporary, long-term or progressive.

• Speakability was founded in 1979 by Diana Law who had Aphasia following a stroke. The charity was registered as ‘Action for Dysphasic Adults’ in 1980. It campaigns for greater understanding of Aphasia as well as offering a Helpline and Information Service, and a network of Aphasia Self-Help Groups right across the UK.

About the Stroke Association:

• A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult disability. There are around 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.

• Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and together we can conquer stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at www.stroke.org.uk