Blogs | Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

October 24, 2018

Stuttering as an Impediment to Driving?

Just when I thought I had seen all the crazy examples of how misunderstood stuttering is, something more outrageous has come along!

October 18, 2018

Why I’m Thankful That I Stutter

After all this time, I’ve come to terms with stuttering and I’ve found peace with my thoughts, with words, with writing.

October 15, 2018

What ISAD Means to Me

For most of my life, celebrate was the last word I would associate with stuttering and definitely the last thing I wanted to do in terms of my stutter.

October 9, 2018

Another Person Who Stutters Wins Stanley Cup

Nicklas Backstrom is the latest NHL player who stutters to win a Stanley Cup.

October 8, 2018

Bloomin’ Arse

I grew up watching old musicals. I memorized the song lyrics, I danced along, and I didn’t just fantasize, I visualized playing the characters some day.

October 1, 2018

An Open Letter to 20-Year-Old Me: Going Back to Speech Therapy is a Good Thing

You’ve been asked numerous times by numerous people, “What is your five year plan?” This is you at 25 giving you a sneak peek of what that those five years entail.

August 14, 2018

Philly Workshop Life-Changing for SLPs Across the Globe

I had the privilege of attending a 5-day Stuttering Foundation workshop in Philadelphia aimed at improving the clinical skills of speech-language pathologists when working with young people how stutter.

August 13, 2018

Training the Therapists

For more than 70 years, the Stuttering Foundation has provided expert information and help to the global stuttering community.

February 5, 2018

A Look Back

Vince Vawter, author of "Paperboy,” shared his personal messages to individuals who stutter, parents of children who stutter and speech clinicians.

January 5, 2018

2017: The Year in Review

As 2018 begins, I take a look back at some of the pivotal moments over the Stuttering Foundation’s 70^th year in 2017.

Pages

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

Darren Sproles

Darren Sproles, a former player for The Philadelphia Eagles, the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers, made history in 2007 when he became the first player in NFL history to return a kickoff and a punt for his first two NFL touchdowns in the same game. In 2021, he was selected to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

John Stossel

John Stossel is one of the most recognized and articulate reporters today. However, he once considered giving up his broadcasting career because of his stuttering.

“Fear of stuttering can easily become worse than the stuttering itself,” observed Stossel. “The idea that I’m on television and making speeches is still a shock to me sometimes.”

Bill Walton

From BillWalton.com

Thank you for your interest in my life long problem with my speech and communication skills. I was a very shy and reserved young man who could not speak at all without severely stuttering until I was 28 years old. Always a success in the classroom and on the basketball court, I took refuge in the things that I did well as a youngster. A straight A student, my athletic abilities covered the deficiencies that limited my overall growth and development. The game of basketball was my religion, the gym my church. It was a convenient way of avoiding my responsibilities of developing my human relation skills.

When I was 28, a chance encounter at a social event with Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Glickman completely changed my life in so many ways that things have never been the same since, nor have they ever been better. That day, in a very brief, private conversation (one way, mind you, since I literally could not speak at the time) Marty explained, patiently and concisely, that talking, communicating was a skill not a gift or a birthright and that like any skill, whether it be sports, music, business or whatever, needed to be developed over a lifetime of hard work, discipline, organization and practice. Marty gave me some simple tips that day and then encouraged me to take those keys and apply them to methods of learning that I had received from the special teachers that I had come across in my life, particularly the 6 Hall of Fame basketball coaches that I had played for throughout my career. The beginning of my whole new life was as simple as that. No gimmicks, tricks or shortcuts. Just the realization that with some help, guidance and a lot of hard work that I too could do what seemed so easy, simple and natural to everyone else, yet seemed impossibly out of my reach and comprehension.