I joined AQPA in 2008, after spending three years in speech therapy rehabilitation centers. I had severe aphasia due to a stroke, I was mute and could barely write. I was told that there were associations for people with aphasia and their loved ones, and that through group activities, we could make new friends and find different ways to express ourselves and communicate. I gave it a try and received a warm welcome. I have been coming to AQPA for 14 years now. I still see many friends who joined before me. Why? We're all in the same boat. We need to get out of the house, have friends in the community, communicate, and share experiences with other people. I lead a fairly “normal” life. Honestly, AQPA has helped me find enthusiasm and joy in life. Now I can discuss various projects and issues in my life.
On October 17, 1997, my life was suddenly turned upside down in the blink of an eye due to a ruptured aneurysm. A delicate surgical procedure saved my life. However, it was the Quebec Association for People with Aphasia that ultimately enabled me to regain my zest for life despite serious after-effects. Today, along with all the other participants, I would like to express my gratitude to these souls, radiating humanity and kindness, who enable the AQPA to perform true miracles in the field of rehabilitation. Together with everyone, I dream of the day when people with aphasia will benefit from an Aphasia House that will allow them to maximize their independence and social integration, an environment that will be a first in the world!
What did I like most about AQPA? The warmth of people with aphasia and their caregivers, their openness, their unwavering courage, and their optimism. I was impressed by the quality of the employees: competent, creative, caring, they tirelessly sought to give people with aphasia a better quality of life. Not to mention the Christmas potluck, certainly the best multicultural buffet in town!
On a beautiful summer day, specifically Friday, August 13, 1999, without warning or notice, like many others, I was suddenly and forcibly taken aboard a ship called “aphasia.” Not as a member of the crew, but as a passenger! In this new, completely different life, everything was entirely planned out by others: hospital, long-term care center, rehabilitation center...
Such was my path, like so many pearls strung together on a thread that I followed without understanding. When I reached the end of my “string of pearls,” I was fortunate enough to join an association of people who, like me, had completed their rehabilitation program: the AQPA. For certain language-related activities, we had the help of a remedial teacher, Ms. Monique Michaud from the Educational and Pedagogical Resource Center. Then the AQPA set up a choir, which is still active today, which I joined on the advice of my rehabilitation colleagues.
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