Stammering: more than just words

“I would avoid any situation that involved even a little bit of talking.  I was very isolated from my friends. I experienced lots of bullying and was so afraid of everyday activity. I would never go to a sports club because I had so much anxiety about saying my name.”

For parents fear and uncertainty about their child’s future can also be overwhelming: “Even at the age of 9, he would say ‘I will never get a job because I can’t even say my own name’. This was heart breaking to hear. His feelings about his stammer prevented him from participating in school, he felt he could not answer questions in class, attend the clubs he wanted or socialise with friends.”

Stammering, or stuttering, is not just about getting words out. It can impact a young person’s confidence, wellbeing, their academic, career and life choices. Parents and wider family can feel helpless and fearful of what the future holds for their children.

Evidence shows specialist therapy can be life changing. Our expert speech and language therapists focus on understanding each child’s experience of stammering to help them find their voice and feel valued for what they say, not how they say it.

Your donation can help unlock access to life changing therapy when children and families need it most.

“My time with the MPC was generously charity funded. The support has been invaluable. I applied to university, which was such a tough thought for so many years. I’m now a tennis coach, go on holidays without my parents. I can now speak for myself and not rely on others or isolate myself. It has also given me a large support network of young adults who stammer. ” 

“He returned to school, wrote a PowerPoint about stammering, how to listen and help children who stammer, and with the help of his teacher, presented this to every year group in school. This was a huge thing for him, as previously he felt humiliation and shame about his stammer.“

“Returning home from the course, his confidence and outlook on life had dramatically increased.“

“I will forever be grateful for their kind and compassionate approach. The journey we have been on at the MPC has been incredible.“

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be this: you are not alone and asking for help is one of the bravest, most important things you can do. The MPC did not just help me find my voice; it helped me find pride in who I am.

To anyone going through a similar journey, embrace it. Speak with confidence. And know that your stammer does not make you any less, it makes you more. Because in the end, it is not a flaw. It is a superpower.

My journey with a stammer began as soon as I could speak. Growing up, I felt all the stereotypical struggles that many people who stammer know all too well: the hesitation before speaking, the frustration when words wouldn’t come out, the fear of being misunderstood, and the anxiety around social situations. Every conversation felt like a challenge, and I often avoided speaking altogether. Over the years, I sometimes hid my true self, afraid that my stammer would define how others saw me. It took years of convincing by my parents before I finally made the step to go to therapy. Looking back, it was the turning point I did not know I needed.

In July 2017, when I was 17, I had the opportunity to attend a two-week intensive group therapy programme at the Michael Palin Centre in London. The support and guidance I received there helped me express my real self more freely and shaped me into the person I am today.

One of the most powerful things I experienced was the sense of community. For the first time, I was surrounded by people who truly understood. I learned that there was support out there and I was not alone. I gained confidence in myself and began to open up. The experience helped shift my mindset. I stopped focusing on how I thought others perceived my speech and started to see that people value your behaviour and actions far more than your fluency.

The course helped me realise that stammering does not limit you. In fact, it can bring strengths. It has made me more understanding, emotionally intelligent, and self-aware. These are qualities I do not think I would have developed in the same way otherwise. It is not a flaw. It is a superpower.

Since attending the MPC, I have gone on to achieve things I once did not think were possible. I completed a master’s degree in Biomedical Science and I now work at AstraZeneca, where I am part of the Global Graduate Operations Programme. During the programme, I’ve worked in Quality, served as a Digital Project Manager, and been a Production Planner. I’ll soon be moving into a strategic role focused on site transformation in the flu franchise. This role involves constant communication, presentations, and collaboration. A big part of what motivates me in my career is working with people and supporting them by helping provide life-changing medicines to patients. I have a real passion for helping and supporting people, whether that is through my work or in other parts of life.

Outside of work, I have followed my passion for sport and have had the honour of representing England in bowls. I now also lead the junior team for Bowls Lancashire, something I am really proud of. Not just for the sporting side but because I know how valuable it is to mentor and support young people, just as I was supported.

In 2024, I ran the Run Tatton Half Marathon, raising over £2,500 for Whittington Health and the Michael Palin Centre. Each place on the MPC therapy programme costs £5,800 and I wanted to help make sure others could have access to the same life-changing experience I had.