Westman Aphasia on verge of closure
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/01/2023 (956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Westman Aphasia may shut down by the end of February, as the non-profit organization is still in desperate need of funding and volunteers to keep the operation running.
Former Westman Aphasia board chair Susan Cable said she is still struggling to fill these roles following an exodus of members over the last couple of years.
“I do have another long shot lead on an office manager, but it’s a long shot. We have not had any response at all to our call for new volunteer board members,” Cable wrote in an email to the Sun earlier this month.
“For us to continue operating, what we need are new volunteer board members, including a board chair. Without that, even government funding won’t help.”
Westman Aphasia has operated in the region for more than 14 years and was created to support those living with the disorder, which impacts a person’s cognition and ability to communicate.
The organization supports around 40 people directly by developing resources and providing support programs that help them through their everyday lives.
However, Westman Aphasia has been dealing with a series of hurdles over the past couple of years, a period that has been defined by stunted public donations and the loss of several key members.
“One person from the board passed away, others left for health reasons or just because they had enough to deal with thanks to COVID and it was just too much,” Cable said over the phone Thursday. “So COVID did cost us a few board members that we have not been able to replace.”
While Cable is still hard at work trying to find some volunteers who are willing to take on the project, she is preparing for the worst.
The former board chair has even begun the process of working with former clients to find other resources to help them deal with their condition, since day-to-day operations at Westman Aphasia have halted outright.
If the organization does shut down by late next month, Cable fears what will become of their clients, since the nearest support programming for those living with aphasia is located in Ontario.
“We are pretty small compared to a lot of other organizations, but we are who we are, and a lot of people don’t know about aphasia, and we helped them learn about it and live with it,” she said last October. “We give them hope and encouragement. Once we are gone, they won’t have that anymore.”
Anyone interested in helping Westman Aphasia is encouraged to contact Cable at susan_aphasia@mymts.com. More information is available on the organization’s official Facebook page and website: westmanaphasia.ca.
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