Stuttering (update with shareable blog post)

[no_hypocrisy]

63. The wife of Sen. John Glenn made her mission to educate about stuttering

Anna Margaret Glenn (née Castor; February 17, 1920 – May 19, 2020) was an American advocate for people with disabilities and communication disorders and the wife of astronaut and senator John Glenn. A stutterer from an early age, Glenn was notable for raising awareness of stuttering and other disabilities among children and adults.

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Like her father, Annie Glenn experienced a speech stutter throughout her life.[1] As a child, Glenn did not feel hindered by her stutter; she happily participated in activities such as softball, girl scouts, school dances, and choir.[4] It was not until sixth grade that she realized her speech impairment.[4] It was determined that her stutter was present in eighty-five percent of her verbal utterances.[11] Despite her difficulty speaking, she was able to create and maintain close relationships.[4] After graduating from college, Glenn wanted to get a job in a different town but because of her disability, her parents were worried about her living independently.[4] However, Glenn found ways to effectively communicate without speaking out loud. For example, before shopping, she would write down exactly what she was looking for and then show the note to the sales clerk when she needed help.[4]

At the age of 53, Glenn discovered and attended a three-week treatment course at Hollins Communications Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia, to help with her dysfluency.[11] After attending the treatment course, her speech was greatly improved; however, she did not consider herself "cured" of stuttering.[1] Glenn was finally able to confidently vocally interact with others.[12] When her husband began campaigning for the Senate, she was able to support him by giving speeches at public events and at rallies.[1] Glenn used her newfound voice to bring attention to disabled people who she knew had been overlooked so often.[13]

Later, Glenn became an adjunct professor with Ohio State's Speech Pathology Department.[6]



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Glenn