While working to rehabilitate people at Catawba Valley Medical Center, speech therapist Elizabeth Morrison got an idea sparked by a stroke patient.
Morrison works with those struggling with speech. Often, that means stroke patients, some of whom struggle with a aphasia — an inability to say words they mean, or interpret or hear words correctly.
One of Morrison’s early patients was getting ready to leave the hospital after some time in rehab. The patient’s family needed help explaining the aphasia to the patient’s grandchildren, Morrison said.
Morrison took to the internet, searching for a book or guide to explain the condition to young children. She couldn’t find any resources, so she decided to make her own.
In January 2021 Morrison started work on a children’s book to teach children about aphasia, how their grandparents’ lives might change and what they can do to help.
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In July that year, Morrison published “I Know She Still Loves Me: Explaining Expressive Aphasia to Children,” with her cousin Erin McGillivray, who illustrated the book.
Since then, several patients and families have asked for resources to help young children understand the condition. Morrison is able to hand them a copy of her book.
“That’s the main reason I created the story. It’s encouraging to know it’s being used,” Morrison said.
The book tells the story of Frankie and his grandmother, who has a stroke, has aphasia and struggles to say some words. The book portrays a Black family, a choice Morrison made to be inclusive and because Black people are at higher risk of having a stroke, she said.
The story depicts the grandmother with a facial droop because of loss of muscle control on one side of the body. The illustrations also include the grandmother using a wheelchair and walker, meeting with a speech therapist and using visual aides to communicate when she is struggling with words.
The book was a solution to a problem Morrison faced, a tool for education and a way to advocate for those suffering from aphasia, she said.
Morrison is often motivated to fix problems, she said. She became a speech therapist to help fix people’s speech problems. She learned to love working with stroke and aphasia patients to see their progress.
The work can be difficult at first, but milestones like a patient saying “I love you,” to their family for the first time make the work rewarding.
“It’s heart wrenching in the beginning but it ends up being a good feeling in the end. … I’ve learned to love aphasia patients and how every little milestone and accomplishment is celebrated,” she said. “It is a constant journey.”
Morrison’s book is available on Amazon. A portion of the proceeds go to the Triangle Aphasia Project, a North Carolina nonprofit that support people with aphasia.