New Campaign To Be Launched In September In Cork To Raise Awareness Of Difficulties Faced By Those With Stammers

Saturday, 24 April 2021 16:40

Cork man Jamie Googan is is behind the campaign and says he hopes that by raising awareness, others won't have to suffer the way that he did

The 29-year-old from Clonakilty says he was left humiliated and isolated at several points throughout secondary school and college and says he couldn't partake in normal life as he was unable to speak due to a debilitating stutter he developed as a child.

Jamie says he found help through the McGuire project and he has written to US President Joe Biden, who also overcame a stutter, he hopes to set up a meeting with President Biden, to promote the campaign.

Speaking to RedFM News Jamie says until he found help daily communication was impossible for him:

"You can't do the normal things that are expected of you. You can't introduce yourself to anybody. I always used a fake name, so I always had to say that my name was Ross. So Ross is my older brother and I always had to use his name when I was introducing myself. I couldn't say where I was from. I couldn't give my phone number. I couldn't do the simplest tasks like go to a restaurant and order a meal, go to a fast food place and order a takeaway, go to a shop, or anything. Daily communication was impossible outside of my own family."