New Doors Open for Kids Who Stutter

Malcolm Fraser Honored

Stuttering Foundation President Jane Fraser and Vice-President Joe Fulcher joined therapists, supporters, and trustees of the Association for Research into Stammering in Childhood, ARSC, and staff of the Michael Palin Centre on Sept. 20 to celebrate the opening of the newly-refurbished facility, which includes a high-tech room named for Malcolm Fraser.

The new centre opened in August and this special event marked the move.

The purchase of the new building was funded by charitable donations and the refurbishment was made possible by a grant from the previous government with support from the Right Honorable Ed Balls MP.

During the celebration, Michael Palin gave a personal speech about his father’s stammer. He described the difference it would have made if specialist therapy had been available all those years ago.

Speaking on behalf of the trustees, Lord Egremont described with great passion his memories of being a youngster with a stammer and his commitment to the work of the specialist therapists at the centre.

Ed Balls discussed the challenge of being a senior politician with a stammer and the impact on him of seeing the young people working with therapists at the centre to overcome stammering.

Among the guests were Travers Reid, life president and co-founder of the ARSC, and Emily Thornberry, Member of Parliament for Islington South and Finsbury.

The Malcolm Fraser Room is equipped with teleconferencing equipment that enables therapists to reach children worldwide.

“My father would have been amazed and delighted by the marvelous work being done at the new Centre!” said Fraser.

-From the Winter 2012 Newsletter

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.

Alan Rabinowitz

Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D., who passed away in 2018, was an explorer, wildlife conservationist, and author. He established the Hukawng Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar, which is about the size of the state of Vermont.

His love for animals began when he was very young.

Jack Paar

While Jack Paar is among the most prominent of the entertainers on the Stuttering Foundation’s list of Famous People Who Stutter, he deserves special recognition as he was among the first to openly address his stuttering in public. As host of The Tonight Show from 1957-1962, he spoke of his difficulties as a stuttering child and teenager, giving hope to young people.

Dave Taylor

Dave Taylor has been on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter for many years, but probably few people know all of the unique accomplishments of this former hockey great who was born on December 4, 1955, in Levack, Ontario.

King George

In November 2010, worldwide movie audiences were presented with a most interesting and unusual movie release with The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife Elizabeth.

Unfortunately, history may have forgotten the courageous and inspiring story of Prince Albert who stuttered badly and never dreamed that he would ever be king when his older brother, King Edward VIII, abruptly abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.