DEAL Clients tell their stories

Penny Clough had viral meningitis at the age of eighteen and when she emerged from coma spent eleven years in a brain trauma hospital. She was regarded as having PVS (Persistent Vegetative State). Eventually a way was found to communicate with her, and slowly her control over speech and movement returned. She is now talking, and is independently mobile in a wheelchair.

Kim Johnson has Rett Syndrome, and uses a headpointer to communicate. She has just received her Victorian Certificate of Education - the certificate you get on successfully completing secondary school..

Anne McDonald has cerebral palsy. At the age of three she was placed in an institution for people diagnosed as severely retarded, and spent fourteen years there until a way was found to communicate with her and she won her release. She went on to get a university degree and now fights for the rights of people with severe communication impairment.

Michael Regos has Down syndrome. DEAL helped him to find a means to communicate, and he has now just completed his secondary education and is commencing tertiary study.

These DEAL clients used facilitated communication training.

Rebecca Seidner attends a tertiary college where she studies creative writing. She is particularly interested in Star Trek – Deep Space Nine, and the O.J. Simpson case. She speeds around town on her scooter and uses an electronic organiser to augment her speech.