Our lives revolve around communicating with others and we spend over half of our waking hours interacting by talking, texting, reading, writing, listening and understanding. Imagine waking up and being unable to understand, read, text, write or speak. This is reality for over 15,000 Australians each year after stroke. This communication disorder is called aphasia (A-faz-y-a). An estimated 120,000 Australians live with aphasia each year, which is equivalent to the combined prevalence of Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy. People with aphasia have the poorest quality of life outcomes, even when compared to people with cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Many of the 15,000 Australians diagnosed with aphasia each year do not receive the specialist stroke care and communication therapy they require. Aphasia WA is a community not-for-profit organisation run by people with aphasia and volunteers. Aphasia WA provides: • Community support for People with Aphasia • Social inclusion • Advocacy • Education for Western Australians.