A close up picture of an older white woman wearing a pink baseball cap with her husband at an Orioles baseball game.

Aphasia: “We’re in this Together.”

A LETTER FROM GABRIELLA (WIDOW OF SCALE MEMBER CARLTON)

Dear Friend of The League,

I want to share a story about my late husband, Carlton — a story about struggle, resilience, and the extraordinary impact of the SCALE Aphasia Program at The League for People with Disabilities.

Carlton had a stroke in 2018. Like many survivors, he was diagnosed with aphasia, a communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak, read, or write, but not their intelligence. He spent years in traditional speech therapy, and while it helped, something was missing.

It wasn’t until he joined SCALE, years into his recovery, that everything changed.

During one of his classes, something finally clicked for him:

“It really sunk in that he had aphasia…and that alone was a huge relief for him.”

SCALE offered what no clinical setting could: a community. A place where people with aphasia learn together, laugh together, and support one another. A place where they are treated not as patients, but as whole, capable human beings.

With perspective, I reflect that:

“Doing it as a group has a completely different feel…these are your friends, we’re in this together.”

Carlton joined book club, conversation groups, sports discussions, and more. He regained skills he had lost after a setback. He surpassed milestones we thought were behind him. And he found purpose in encouraging others.

A white man in a short-sleeve button down shirt and blue jeans seated in a wheelchair next to his wife wearing a green t-shirt and brownish-red pants. SCALE changed my life, too. I saw people treat Carlton with the respect and understanding he deserved. I saw him grow, connect, and thrive and I saw how deeply caregivers like me are supported, something rare to see in the recovery journey.

Today, I’m asking you to help ensure that SCALE can continue offering this life-changing support to families like ours.

Your donation provides:

  • Accessible group therapy and conversation programs
  • Community, connection, and emotional support
  • Education that empowers survivors to understand their condition
  • A lifeline for caregivers who often feel unseen

Please consider making a gift today. Your generosity helps people with aphasia reclaim their voices and their lives.

With sincere gratitude,

Gabriella

A linear progression of people holding colored letters that spell out the word "APHASIA".

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