Sproles Breaks Record On and Off the Field: National Stuttering Awareness Week is May 11-17

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (May 5, 2009) — Darren Sproles, the Stuttering Foundation’s spokesman for National Stuttering Awareness Week, posted the second-best yard gain in Chargers post-season history in a January 3 game against the Colts. He also became the player with the third most yards of any player in a single post-season game in NFL history.

Off the field, he’s reached a record-breaking number of kids and adults who stutter with a message of help. In fact, the Foundation’s Web site, www.stutteringhelp.org, has recorded more than 2 million hits in the four weeks leading up to the May 11th awareness week.

This year he joins the Stuttering Foundation as its Spokesperson in recognizing National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 11-17.

"I remember a long time ago my grandpa told me ‘don’t ever let anybody tell you that you can’t do anything because you stutter.’" Sproles said. "I always remembered that and worked hard at improving my speech."

During Stuttering Awareness Week, the NFL star and the Stuttering Foundation will work together to educate Americans about this poorly understood speech disorder that affects more than three million people in the United States.

As part of its educational outreach, the Foundation offers a toll-free hotline, 800-992-9392, and maintains two Web sites,www.stutteringhelp.org and www.tartamudez.org.

The running back, who became aware of his struggle with stuttering at age 4, says the problem became more pronounced when he was a star football player at Olathe North High School and at Kansas State University.

"I had to talk to the media a lot, and once they put a camera in my face, that’s when it got bad," Sproles said. "I just had to work on it. I couldn’t really stress about it, because that’s just me."

Sproles said he learned to take his time while answering questions during an interview. "I don’t have to be in a hurry to say something."

"We are extremely happy to have as our spokesman someone who is a role model to young people who struggle with stuttering because he himself never gave up," says Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation.

For a free copy of the 18 Famous People brochure/mini-poster featuring Darren Sproles, call 800-992-9392 or visitwww.stutteringhelp.org.

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.

Frank Wolf

This Virginian congressman has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1981. The longtime supporter of the Stuttering Foundation drew national attention to childhood stuttering in 2006 when he submitted an article about Tiger Woods from the SFA newsletter to the Congressional Record. The congressman is featured in the Stuttering Foundation's Famous People Who Stutter brochure.

Lewis Carroll

The recent Disney version of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice in Wonderland, garnered a great deal of media hype. Even though the mainstream media has not made mention that Carroll was a person who stuttered, his family history gives credence to the discovery of the genetic link to stuttering. Carroll was born to parents who were first cousins; almost all of their eleven children, three girls and seven boys, struggled with stuttering past childhood.

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.