When disease robs Kay of her voice she’ll still be able to chat
A WOMAN with motor neurone disease has ‘banked’ her voice so she can continue to chat with her loved ones in the future.
Kay Jones, 66, is facing the possibility of losing the ability to speak. A related condition known as dysarthria is causing the muscles in her mouth, tongue and throat to weaken.
Synthetic voice technology has been around for some time but the ability to personalise someone’s sound is relatively new.
Working with speech and language therapists from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Kay has recorded more than 1,500 sentences and phrases. They have been converted into a synthetic voice unique to Kay, allowing her to ‘speak’ through an app on a tablet, computer or smart phone.
The phrases include everyday sayings, questions and answers as well as sentences relating to her family.
Kay, from Ramsbottom, Bury, said the whole process would allow her to stay in contact with her friends and family. She lives with her husband Stuart and is a mum-of-one.
“Losing your voice is like losing your sight or your hearing. It’s like losing your communication with the whole world,” Kay said. “Your voice is very precious.
“I don’t think I’d be where I am now, at this present time, without the whole team.”
The team at Pennine Care have been offering voice banking since May last year. At the time they were one of the first in Greater Manchester to offer the technology.
Kay was one of the first to benefit – and five others have now undergone the same process, which can take as long as a month.
Louise Robinson, a speech and language therapist and team leader, said: “People who have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease experience a range of emotions. The thought of losing their voice can be very distressing and they may need some time to come to terms with it.
“We really care about our patients and are always looking at new and innovative ways to help them enjoy the best possible quality of life.
“It takes around two to four weeks to record the 1,500 sentences we need.
“Each session lasts from 30 minutes to an hour, although some people may need to take breaks as it can be very tiring.
“To date, we have been able to help six people continue to communicate with their loved ones and remain as independent as possible.
“It’s great to see the difference voice banking makes to their lives.”