Dysphonia International has completed its fourth annual Walk for Talk event which was held October 12-15, 2023. Every October, this is our opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the research of SD and related voice conditions. No matter where you live or what voice condition you have, all are welcome to join our effort. By inviting friends, family, co-workers, support group communities and healthcare professionals to support you, many fun and unifying events were formed, thereby allowing people to learn about and help find answers and possibly a cure. With every step taken, we build a collective spirit and celebrate the power of our community.
We feel energized and empowered as we work together in pursuit of our goal. We may have a voice disorder, but our community has been talking with one loud and clear voice. We let the world know, one person at a time, that Dysphonia International is a community that cares about you and your voice. We welcomed many first-time participants. We welcomed back many participants who are involved every year. We saw a large increase in the number of sponsors and healthcare professionals participating.
It was inspiring to read the dysphonia stories and see generations of people sporting our Walk for Talk swag, raising our fans, and walking behind our banner. We held over twenty in-person events and had a broader involvement of the local community. When the weather didn’t cooperate, our event planners either braved the elements or took the event indoors.
Our gratitude goes out to all who took part in and contributed to the 2023 Walk for Talk! Thanks to the generous support of our donors and sponsors, we achieved our highest fundraising total ever, reaching $124,566, which was then matched, resulting in a grand total of $249,132 to advance research efforts!
Walk for Talk funds research to find answers for better treatments and a greater understanding of complex voice disorders. Walk for Talk brings hope for the future and a sense of belonging and unity. Together, we are making a lasting impact on the lives of those living with a voice disorder.
Special thanks go to our 2023 Walk for Talk Planning Committee, who brought energy and enthusiasm and built momentum which included Mary Bifaro, Chair, Dennis Kaszeta, Ron Langdon, Cathleen McCulloch, Sue Payne, Denny Richey, and Esther Zack
We exceeded all expectations and reached the highest level of success in fundraising. We are “the little engine that could”. We harness our strength with grit, passion, and determination so that others have hope and the realization that they are not alone. That is a joy to behold!
2023 Walk for Talk In-Person Events
Birmingham, AL| Decatur, AL | Scottsdale, AZ | Chico, CA | Oakland, CA* | Playa Vista, CA | San Mateo, CA* | St. Petersburg, FL | Cumming, GA | Pleasant Hill, IA | Shreveport, LA | Troy, MI | Roseville, MN* | Rochester, MN* | Matthews, NC | Tinton Falls, NJ* | Cincinnati, OH* | Huntsville, TX* | Irving, TX* | Murray, UT* | Gravenhurst, ON, Canada
*New location for 2023
Voices from Walk 2023
Loise DiPalma: “I am working through the disability for over 20 years, just trying to keep smiling and making friends along the way. Walk for Talk is a way for my friends to understand why I sound different and why it is important to listen carefully.”
Susan Beck: “I want to do everything I can to raise awareness and fund research to provide better treatment options and to find a cure.”
Wendy Garrison: “Dysphonia International has provided critical encouragement, resources and friendships since my diagnosis of abductor SD.”
Sue Abrams: “The world needs your voice.”
Sue Payne: “Walk for Talk is a way for our community to have a big presence in a world that tends to not listen or hear us! We are all in this together.”
Ron Langdon: “Walk for Talk is a way we can support research into finding a cure for spasmodic dysphonia.”
Cathleen McCulloch: “Walk for Talk is my powerful voice that can be heard for miles in hopes of changing the lives of those with voice disorders.”
Andrina Rose: I like “the welcoming, recognition and communication of Walk for Talk.”
Risa Clay: When participating in Walk for Talk, “I like knowing that I am part of something bigger than myself. This is our reminder that we are not alone and that our voices matter!”
Bonnie Simpson: “Walk for Talk is what we do to raise funding for professionals committed to research and study to develop treatments, find the cause and eventually a cure for laryngeal dystonia as well as other voice-related disorders and conditions. It’s our way of keeping hope alive for a cure!”
Mary Bifaro: “Walk for Talk is our annual platform to use our feet to help us beat spasmodic dysphonia and related voice conditions.”
Esther Zack: “Walk for Talk is our opportunity to raise awareness in our community and to bring hope to our walkers!
Debbie States: “I am walking so others can talk. I walk so that there will come a time when I can talk without thinking about it.”
Marianne Meyers: “All of us with these neurological conditions are tired. We want answers, treatments, and a cure. Now in its 4th year, Walk for Talk gives us the chance to be proactive and bring awareness out in the community.”
Dr. Teresa Kimberley: “I have been honored and humbled to have been researching laryngeal dystonia for many years now and have benefited from Dysphonia International funding for research. It has been a true pleasure getting to know so many people with voice disorders during these years.”
Donna Rossitto: “I strongly am supportive of the Walk for Talk event because it is part of my own personal life. Since 1993, I was diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia which is genetic as learned through my own research and medical treatments. As a person with this condition, I have struggled both professionally and personally. Through my research, I discovered this organization, Dysphonia International, that has put me in contact with individuals with similar voices and struggles.”
Toni Gold: “I tell people I’m not SD. I am more than that. You just have to listen to what I have to say. What I do for the support group and Walk for Talk is a labor of love. It is a way for my own voice to be heard loud and clear. It is a way to help people who have nowhere else to turn as far as getting a diagnosis, or once they have that, dealing with it.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS
