My name is Kevin, and I have been the headmaster of a large co-ed primary school in Zimbabwe for the past thirty years, ten of which I have had Parkinson’s. In February of 2017, I had Deep Brain Stimulation, and one of the side effects of this was that my speech became slurred and soft. My daughter, who is a speech and language pathologist, recommended that I have LSVT LOUD.
There are no LSVT LOUD Certified therapists for this in Zimbabwe, so she looked online and was put in touch with Angela Halpern, a Speech Language Pathologist from the United States who offers LSVT LOUD via telehealth. I booked 16 sessions with her covering a four-week period.
I enjoyed the sessions immensely and found Angela to be thoroughly engaging and professional. She encouraged me to learn to think LOUD. As a result, my speech has improved, and she has given me a tool, which when I remember to use it, definitely makes a difference in my communication with my school. I have grown in confidence in my public speaking, and colleagues have noticed a difference. My secretary, for example, commented on one occasion that I sounded like I did before I had Parkinson’s. My family also appreciates the fact that now I can be understood more easily.
I am very grateful for this intervention and the difference it has made in my life and I would strongly urge other Parkinson’s sufferers to avail themselves of it.
-- Kevin R., person with PD