Consultants with aphasia are core to the LUNA team. Steve, Lynn, Varinder, and Jan will be working on phase three of LUNA, codesigning the LUNA assessment and therapy programme. They are also involved throughout the project as part of our Advisory Group.
Varinder
Varinder was a stage manager in the theatre and independent films for 10 years+. She has post traumatic stress disorder as a result of a spinal injury. Varinder has been an advocate for Mind in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for 20 years.
Varinder had a stroke in October 2008. After this, she joined a local stroke group, volunteered for five years for the Stroke Association, and attended and completed courses at Connect. She started at the City University Reading Clinic in 2009. Varinder has been involved in a few projects at UCL and City University (PLORAS, Reading Clinic, LUNA-pilot), and since October 2013 she has been a member of the drawing for people with aphasia group. Varinder enjoys researching and positive learning about new approaches, for example, alternative health medicine and meditation to improve quality of life.
Varinder is interested in finding new tools to help other people with aphasia.
Steve
Steve is a retired sales manager and director. Before retiring, he worked for a range of different companies, including RHM, Prudential, Dun & Bradstreet, Pickfords, and as an independent consultant. He has been living with aphasia for 8 years. Steve is a keen traveller, particularly enjoying cruising. He has been involved in a number of different aphasia research projects at City, University of London, including EVA Park, the LUNA-pilot, and other small scale intervention and assessment studies.
Steve is a strong advocate for aphasia research – he has enjoyed taking part, and got a lot out of it. He is keen to develop LUNA, as he finds discourse challenging, and thinks a programme to work on discourse will benefit people with aphasia:
’I want to do it… oh what’s the word… with dis… with discourse… And I can’t. And it’s important for people with aphasia, the ways to do that. I think that’s really interesting. I’d love to find more and do more with that. I can’t do dis… discourse and it’s very important.’
Lynn
Lynn has worked as a dental receptionist, and currently cuts hair, bakes and decorates cakes for occasions, is a grandparent to four grandchildren. She has been involved with a large number of voluntary projects over the last ten years with the Stroke Association. These currently include supporting stroke survivors with activities, and with Aspire.
Lynn has been involved in research projects including CommuniCATE, and Eva Park. She enjoyed taking part in the LUNA-pilot:
‘[before LUNA] when you’re doing a story and it’s so flat… and then BAM… I learned more in three months in LUNA than I done 8 years in college… I was gobsmacked… I was so impressed… I want to stay in there forever… [LUNA will be] definitely helpful for other people. I was over the moon’
Jan
My name is Jan Bannister. I was a computer developer until I suffered a stroke 9 years ago. The stroke resulted in severe expressive aphasia as well as right side weakness. Fortunately over the next year I did re-learn to walk.
The aphasia has been a much longer and slower progression. The progress from just some sounds to words and short sentences has taken years and has taken thousands of hours of practice. The good news is that is has continued to improve over a much longer time period. Writing and reading continues to be a challenge for me.
These days my life focuses around my family, in particular my two children aged 4 and 6 and my wife. I still enjoy programming in a non-commercial way as well as pursuing my interest in science and maths. I’m lucky to live in London as I can always find interesting places to visit and things to do with my free time such as museums, talks and walks. It also means I can still access activities towards improving my speech.