Joe Iovino, U-M class of 2018, recently visited UMAP to share a project he made about aphasia. His mother had a stroke when he was very young and she was working toward aphasia recovery while he was growing up. Joe’s project is a book that uses words and pictures to explain what aphasia is like. He created it in collaboration with his mother. The book is about her story, her recovery, and her experience with intensive therapy — from his perspective. In the book, she talks about how intensive therapy allowed her to talk to her son again.
Joe’s favorite page of the book, he explained, is how his mother’s speech-language pathologist helped her rebuild connections between words in the brain so she could learn how to find the right ones again. Today, his mother teaches jewelry-making classes for people who have had strokes.
After Joe’s presentation he spent time talking to UMAP staff and clients, hearing their stories. We are grateful that Joe was able to come and share his perspective, his story, and his art with us!
Joe and the UMAP staff
Are you interested in visiting UMAP and speaking with our staff? Let us know by emailing mari.comm@umich.edu.