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Imagine recovering from a debilitating stroke but not being able to form the words to communicate properly with your loved ones and your healthcare professionals.
This is the reality for nearly one third of people recovering from a stroke in Australia.
But now, thanks to Southern Cross University speech pathology lecturer Dr Kirstine Shrubsole, it could soon be a problem of the past.
Dr Shrubsole is breaking new ground with her research into aphasia, a neurological disorder caused by damage to the portion of the brain that is responsible for language and commonly affects 30 per cent of stroke victims.