Imagine if in this next instant you were unable to talk to your family, read a newspaper, write a check, or understand what someone was saying to you. Aphasia is a communication impairment caused by brain damage typically resulting from a stroke, and affects more than 1,000,000 individuals in the United States. While intelligence remains intact, the ability to speak, comprehend, read, and write may be lost or reduced.

Although there are more people in the United States with aphasia than muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis, few people have ever heard of aphasia. Communication is an essential life skill that is woven into all aspects of daily living. Aphasia causes a profound impact on the lives of stroke survivors. Besides causing many individuals to be cut-off from their immediate family and friends, aphasia often leads to total isolation and disenfranchisement from the community at large.