Aphasia Advocacy

In this episode of Brain Friends, we talk about aphasia advocacy. We discuss health equity and the importance of diversity and inclusion in healthcare and speech-language pathology.

Dr. Seles unpacks the disparities in science, research, and stroke care for minoritized groups. 

Angie shares her personal experience of stroke care and how it influenced her to start two aphasia resource organizations. 

Take home message: "There is no cure for brain damage there is only healing". 
This is the continuing education podcast credit you need. 

https://www.cognitiverecoverylab.com/seles

https://aphasia.org/stories/announcing-the-davetrina-seles-gadson-health-equity-grant-program/

Our beloved colleague, Dr. Davetrina Seles Gadson, passed away January 11, 2025. Dr. Gadson was an extraordinary speech-language pathologist and neuroscience researcher who devoted her energy to studying health disparities in aphasia recovery. She was a fierce advocate for improving services for individuals with aphasia, particularly Black Americans. Her research transformed our understanding of these health disparities and shed light on how we can address them. We were privileged to have Dr. Gadson as a cherished member of our lab community for four years, first as a postdoctoral fellow and then as an Instructor of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was still a close collaborator and friend to many of us at the time of her passing. Dr. Gadson was an incredible person—compassionate, inspiring, and full of life. Her dedication to advancing equity in aphasia recovery and her profound impact on our community will never be forgotten. We are committed to honoring her memory by continuing to push our field forward and fight for equitable services for all people with aphasia.