It鈥檚 a gray, rainy day outside the Westlake Porter Public Library. But, inside, the dark skies are replaced by the warm blues and greens painted across the walls of the library鈥檚 children鈥檚 section, where parents and children are learning together.
Jerri Thomas of North Olmsted and Lisa Lengen of Westlake both live with Parkinson鈥檚 and are here to participate in a nonprofit program called Hear Me Roar Storytime. The program gives Parkinson鈥檚 patients an opportunity to read to children to strengthen their vocal cords.
The two women have books in their hands with young children and their parents sitting around them in a semi-circle. The program begins with children roaring in response to a prompt by Hear Me Roar founder and speech language pathologist Esther Verbovszky.
鈥淚 want all you guys to sound like lions today. Can you do that?" Verbovsky asks.
She counts off, and Thomas, Lengen and the children roar together before dissolving into laughter.
A music therapist then leads a sing-along call and response.
Regaining control
Hear Me Roar Storytime began to address a common issue Parkinson鈥檚 patients face when speaking, Verbovszky said.
鈥淭he problem with them is they don't realize that they're not loud enough," she said. "They think that when you ask them to project their voice that they're yelling and screaming and they're not."
Patients can also lose control over their vocal cords due to neurological damage. This is something Thomas said she had experienced personally.
鈥淢y voice was dropping off, and I didn't even realize how soft I was talking with people,鈥� she said.
Thomas said the program also helped improve her mental health.
鈥淛ust getting out socially makes a real difference," she said. "The minute I get into a group of children I kind of become childlike. It really opens me up.鈥�
Working with children can help with the depression and anxiety that often accompany Parkinson鈥檚, Xin Xin Yu, a movement disorders neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic. said.
鈥淚 can just imagine how much joy people might experience during that activity," she said. "That social connection, connecting with a group, I think that all really helps support our patients鈥� well-being.鈥�
But social activities like Hear Me Roar are just one piece of the puzzle, Yu said. Patients also need medication, speech and physical therapy and mental health counseling.
More patients and children will hopefully begin to participate, Lengen said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 therapy for us and it鈥檚 good for the kids," she said. "It鈥檚 just a win for both sides.鈥�
Lengen and Thomas are among four Parkinson鈥檚 patients currently being treated at University Hospitals in Avon who are participating in the story time. The Hear Me Roar program is an extension of that work as a joint effort between Verbovzky鈥檚 nonprofit and University Hospitals' rehabilitation exercise program.
In the coming months, Verbovszky said she would like to expand the program by asking Parkinson鈥檚 support groups on Cleveland鈥檚 West Side to participate.
