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Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
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Posted by: NSDA ®
10/31/2006, 20:11:17
Most of us are familiar with Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD), but the general public is largely unaware of the disorder. This has begun to change now that "Dilbert" cartoonist Scott Adams has helped bring Spasmodic Dysphonia to the front page of newspapers across the United States. His experience with Spasmodic Dysphonia has sparked the interest of many, and the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association is pleased that SD is receiving this media attention.

We are hoping to build on this interest by encouraging our leaders to contact their local newspaper and TV outlets about publishing additional stories on Spasmodic Dysphonia. This awareness will also assist to locate those persons who have been living with a voice condition and are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and connect them with our SD community.

We encourage you to continue to “Speak Out about SD” and raise awareness in your community!


Related link: http://www.dysphonia.org

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Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia -- NSDA Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Will Blum ®
11/01/2006, 09:41:43
Last night a local television station did a news segment about botox being used for stoke victims. News segment mentioned that Botox was first used for neurological disorders before being used for cosmetic purposes. I wrote to the news reporter and asked him to do a feature on Spasmodic Dysphonia in the future to bring awareness to this voice disorder.



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Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia -- NSDA Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Barb ®
11/01/2006, 10:53:05
The NSDA is right about the importance of the media and how it can get the word out about SD.I owe Scott Adams a great big thank you for the recent articles printed about his ordeal with SD. Not only did it help to rasie awarness for all but it came at a great time for me.
On Monday I was summoned for jury duty. I walked in thinking that I would be dismissed due to my voice. As the Judge started asking his questions to the pool he realized that he could not hear me. I was called to the bench along with the lawyers to discuss what the problem was and if I should serve. I live in a small county and this was something they had never had to deal with before. It was decided that they would make any accomidations they had to do for me and I would indeed serve. Everytime we took a break and when it came to lunch I sat there without anyone saying anything to me. If I tried to say something to anyone they would just smile or look away and start talking to someone else. I decided to do what I did best and just sit and listen. I realized that nobody wanted to be there and they wanted to get the trial over with as fast a possible. Why make it any harder or last longer than it had to be.They were not mean people they just did not understand what was wrong with my voice and did not want to ask.
On Tuesday morning I arrived early along with a few others so we went straight to the jury room. A older gentleman on the panel walked up to me and handed me a news article he had cut out of a Columbus newspaper. He tought it was something I should see and that maybe it could help me. It was the article on Scott Adams. I told him that I also had SD and since we still had 15 minutes before we were seated we started talking about it. The people close to us could hear what we were talking about and started to listen. When we took our hour long lunch break we talked more about SD and what it meant. Everyone in the room listened and asked questions.
When it came time to deliberate this morning my voice was not only soft but my words were breaking up. The moment I had worried about from the beginning had come. How was I ever going to be able to get my point across at the most important time of any trial. It turned out that I had nothing to worry about.If I had something to ask or say everyone in the room became silent so that I could be heard and understood. We were able to deliver a verdict that we all agreed upon and felt good about.
I know that this is a long post but it is something that I really wanted to explain. The article on Scott Adams did not only touch me but the lives of so many people where I live in the past few days. If it could do that for such a small area of people can you imagine what is is doing for the rest of the United States.
Barb AB/AD 4 years



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Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
Re: Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia -- Barb Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Mary Bifaro ®
11/01/2006, 15:32:21
Bravo, NSDA, Will and Barb for helping raise awareness about SD. Each of us has a unique role to play in explaining spasmodic dysphonia to others. Let us all continue to "unmask the mystery of spasmodic dysphonia". It is important, I believe, that people hear our SD voices so that they can better understand our problem.

Sincerely,
Mary Bifaro
Abductor SD since 1987
Charlotte, NC




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Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
Re: Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia -- Mary Bifaro Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Will Blum ®
11/01/2006, 18:06:14
Just want to add that I got a nice reply from reporter who did this news feature. He appreciated my feedback to his story and said, "It is nice to get positive comments!" He will pitch idea of doing a SD story to his producers.



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Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia
Re: Cartoonist Scott Adams Raises Awareness about Spasmodic Dysphonia -- NSDA Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Keith ®
11/05/2006, 07:11:04
Has anyone seen the article recently that alluded to Mr. Adams having experimented with brain remapping through the repetition of nursery rhymes? Apparently, he has met with considerable success in improving his voice.



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