More News

30 Years of Workshops: Spreading the Word Around the Globe
Malcolm Fraser was a visionary. Drawing upon his experiences as both an entrepreneur and a person who stuttered, he knew that the future of therapy lay squarely in the hands of well trained therapists and that specialty training would be a must.
Reaching Out to the World
Lisbon, Portugal, is one of the oldest cities in the world. But this summer it was also the location for discussing some of the newest research on stuttering.
Libraries Put Stuttering Resources on Display
Many libraries across the country sent us pictures of their displays for National Stuttering Awareness Week. Thank you for helping us spread the word about stuttering.
General Battled Stuttering
While the Internet era has no shortage of famous people who stutter, one prominent figure in U.S. history is Joshua Chamberlain, a Union Army general and hero of the Civil War.
Q&A: It’s Our Turn to Ask the Questions
Todd Whatley is an attorney in Northwest Arkansas who specializes in helping the elderly. Todd began stuttering at a very young age and has worked to manage his speech although he says he still struggles all the time.
Helping Our Graduates Succeed
You’ve graduated from college! Woo hoo! Your friends and family are so excited! Everyone is telling you, “This is it!”, “Today begins the rest of your life!”, “You’re gonna miss homework once you get a taste of the real world!”, and “No more summer vacations for you!”
Jigger Gives Stuttering Help the Green Flag
When AutoWeek in 2006 ran an article featuring Stuttering Foundation friend and ambassador-at-large Jigger Sirois, the response was outstanding. During the past 9 years since the article ran, Jigger continues to educate the public on stuttering.
Actor Sam Neill Talks About Stuttering
In the pre-Internet era of the early 1990s, actor Sam Neill seemed to be one of the few celebrities who was open about his stuttering in both print and broadcast media. At the time, he spoke openly of his stuttering on entertainment shows in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
Dr. Fred Murray lives, and writes, A Stutterer’s Story
Dr. Frederick Murray, 89, whose stuttering began suddenly and violently at an early age, is a retired speech pathologist who taught at the University of New Hampshire and directed the stuttering therapy program there for many years.
Q & A with Dr. Wen
The Washington Post ran an article by Dr. Leana Wen about an experience she had in the emergency room treating a patient who stutters. She touched on her own experience with stuttering. After that article ran, we interviewed Dr. Wen.

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CELEBRITY FOCUS

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.

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.

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.

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.