MedWest-Haywood Speech-Language Pathology department hosts expert who worked with Arizona congresswoman after her traumatic brain injury
7/6/2012
MedWest-Haywood Speech-Language Pathology department hosts expert who worked with Arizona congresswoman after her traumatic brain injury
Clyde, N.C. – The MedWest-Haywood Speech-Language Pathology department recently hosted a leading expert who worked extensively with former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords of Arizona who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being shot.
Nancy Helm-Estabrooks, ScD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, who worked extensively with the congresswoman after her traumatic brain injury, was the featured guest at the MedWest-Haywood Speech-Language Pathology department’s quarterly area meeting June 21. Speech-language pathologists from as far west as Hayesville and as far east as Black Mountain attended the meeting.
“We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to host this nationally recognized expert in the area of aphasia and cognition,” MedWest-Haywood Rehab Coordinator Chris Thornton, MS, CCC-CLP said.
Helm-Estabrooks was affiliated with the Howard Goodglass Aphasia Research Center for 32 years and is Professor Emeritus at Western Carolina University. She is board-certified by the Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and is an American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Fellow.
At the June 21 meeting, Helm-Estabrooks provided education regarding assessment of cognition with specific training on clinical implications for results on a widely utilized standardized cognitive screening test she co-authored and published.
She also participated in a question-and-answer session regarding her work with Giffords, including the positive attention that case has brought to speech-language pathology as a profession, the positive effect extensive rehabilitation can have on a person’s outcome, and the fact that most people are not fortunate enough to receive the amount of rehab necessary to achieve optimal outcomes under current insurance systems.
Helm-Estabrooks has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, seven books, six standardized tests, 21 chapters and eight aphasia therapy programs. She has presented more than 300 scholarly papers/poster presentations, short courses, mini-seminars and workshops to professional and scholarly conferences throughout North America, Central America, South America and Europe.
MedWest Health System provides healthcare for the people of western North Carolina at MedWest-Harris, MedWest-Haywood and MedWest-Swain hospitals, the outpatient facility MedWest-Franklin, and through the 100-member MedWest Physician Network. MedWest is affiliated with Carolinas HealthCare System.