3 Ways to Spread the Word About Stuttering

National Stuttering Awareness Week is a great opportunity for schools and communities to spread the word about stuttering. Here are some ideas:

Students can help is by designing a poster for their school that spreads awareness about stuttering. Bright and creative posters can help educate others and remind students that everyone communicates differently.

Another important activity is sharing brochures about common myths surrounding stuttering. Educational brochures can provide accurate information and help reduce stereotypes and misunderstandings.

Students and families can ask their local library to carry books about stuttering. Books for children, teens, parents, and educators can help people learn more about the experiences of individuals who stutter and provide helpful resources.

These small actions like these can make a big difference in creating awareness and educating others on the available resources during National Stuttering Awareness Week.

Posted May 8, 2026

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Marilyn Monroe

From Edward S. Herrington's letter to Southcoasttoday.com

I am writing in response to "The importance of voice" (May 29), which mentioned that famous actor James Earl Jones struggled with stuttering. Another famous voice that you cited was the trademark breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe; however, you did not make mention of the fact that Marilyn Monroe also struggled with stuttering at various points in her life, sometimes very painfully.

Carly Simon

Carly Simon began stuttering severely when she was eight years old.

Winston Churchill

Seeking to "remove Winston Churchill's stutter by second guessing the diagnosis" indicates neither a truthful retelling of history nor an informed opinion about a complex speech disorder, say experts in the field of speech-language pathology.

Recent news reports that quote Dr. John Mather, a Washington physician, as saying that Churchill's stutter "is a lie" brought adamant critical response from specialists in the field of stuttering and fluency disorders.

Byron Pitts

Byron Pitts has brought much attention to stuttering with his memoir, Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges, released in September, 2009. The book not only details his speech difficulties, but also his illiteracy until age 12 and his unstable family life. Pitts overcame the odds to become the chief national correspondent with ABC News.

Bruce Willis

While the world knows Bruce Willis as an A-list actor, few know that he struggled with stuttering throughout his first 20 years.

Walter Bruce Willis was born in 1955 in West Germany to his German mother, Marlene, and his American GI father, David Willis. The family settled in David’s hometown of Penns Grove, New Jersey in 1957, and the couple has three other children.