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(Rockville, MD - November 7, 2007) Lee Woodruff, wife of Bob Woodruff, former co-anchor of ABC's World News Tonight, is featured in a 14-minute podcast from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Lee Woodruff's life was turned upside down when her husband suffered a severe head injury while covering the war in Iraq. In an interview with ASHA, she talks about what she has learned about traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the recovery process, from a personal and societal perspective. Woodruff's stories illustrate her experience as a caregiver, the importance of speech-language pathologists to her husband's recovery, and the effects of his injury on their entire family, including their young children.
As Bob Woodruff continues to strengthen his ability to "find his words" through ongoing work with a speech-language pathologist, the Woodruffs have become advocates for people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.
"The average American with TBI faces a nightmare. The insurance industry still views TBI as something that has an endpoint," says Lee Woodruff, who strongly believes that health insurance companies must cover treatment for TBI patients for the long term.
Woodruff encourages caregivers with injured family members to be strong advocates, and says, "It's not a normal situation, it's not normal life."
"Caregivers should never feel shy about asking a million questions or saying no and getting a second opinion. I think the grind of caregiving can wear you down," but that the caregiver is pivotal to the entire family recovering well.
No stranger to the world of audiologists and speech-language pathologists, the Woodruffs are also raising a child with hearing loss.
ASHA has announced the Woodruffs' receipt of the 20th Anniversary, 2007 Annie Glenn Award given to people who build public awareness on behalf of those with communications disorders.
To listen to this and other ASHA podcasts, go to www.asha.org/podcast/.
ASHA, located in Rockville, Maryland, is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally. For more information on speech, language, and hearing disorders, consumers can log on to the ASHA Web site at www.asha.org or call 1-800-638-TALK.
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