Andrea Horgan

During my third year of training to become a Speech and Language Therapist, I was elected as Chairperson of the UCC Clinical Therapies Society in 2019. As chairperson, I worked closely with Aphasia Officer Shauna Bell and Dr. Helen Kelly in the running and organization of the Aphasia Café in-person, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a team, we worked closely together to ensure the continuity of the Aphasia Café bimonthly, promoting a safe space for our patrons, supported by trained staff and Speech and Language Therapy students at a local café in Cork.

It was incredibly important to me that all these efforts to maintain the Aphasia Café continued as societal roles were re-elected for the 2020/2021 academic year, and I was elected as Aphasia Officer. Despite the ongoing challenges Covid-19, I worked closely with Chairperson Shauna Bell and Dr. Helen Kelly to navigate the transition of the Aphasia Café to an online format. A significant part of my role during this time was creating a schedule of students to attend the café, send out emails to patrons ahead of the café with accessible access information and themes should they wish to prepare information to discuss.

Now a qualified Speech and Language Therapist, my involvement in the Aphasia Café has inspired me to continue working with this cohort, and I am fortunate enough to support people with aphasia both individually and in group sessions in my work.

Shauna Bell

As a speech and language therapy student, my involvement with the Aphasia Café began with being elected as the UCC Clinical Therapies Society Aphasia Officer in 2019. My role was to organise the face-to-face Aphasia Café with the Society Chairperson and Dr Helen Kelly, with a focus on fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where members could connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. Building on this experience, I was elected to the role of Chairperson for the Clinical Therapies Society for the 2020/2021 academic year.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for our university community, including the Aphasia Café. To ensure that our vital support system continued during these trying times, myself, Aphasia Officer Andrea Horgan, and Dr Helen Kelly spearheaded the transition of the Aphasia Café to an online format. Adapting to virtual meetings, we maintained our support network and even expanded our reach, making the café accessible to a wider audience. This transition involved coordinating virtual sessions while ensuring that the sense of community and support remained as strong as ever.

Áine O'Donnell

My name is Áine, I’m a final year speech and language therapy student and (very) soon to be graduate hailing from Donegal. I have been involved in the cafe for some time but took over as student lead in March of 2023. From the beginning of my degree, I had a keen interest in the areas of stroke and aphasia which has increased in my time with the cafe. Most importantly, I made some great friends who I look forward to catching up with every two weeks. So, it’s safe to say that I wish to work extensively in this area and hope to advocate further for those experiencing aphasia and facilitate them to advocate for themselves.