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Woman who gave a fake name to colleagues as she could not say her own overcomes lifelong stammer

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Woman who gave a fake name to colleagues as she could not say her own overcomes lifelong stammer
News

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Woman who gave a fake name to colleagues as she could not say her own overcomes lifelong stammer

2018-08-24 18:07 Last Updated At:18:09

Anna called herself ‘Hannah’ for two whole years because it was easier to pronounce – but now she has ‘found her voice’.

A woman who gave a fake name to colleagues as she could not say her own told how she has finally overcome her crippling stammer.

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Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has finally overcome her crippling stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has finally overcome her crippling stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is even considering becoming a motivational speaker (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is even considering becoming a motivational speaker (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna used to call herself 'Hannah' (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna used to call herself 'Hannah' (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens who dubbed her “jibber jabber” (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens who dubbed her “jibber jabber” (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna cannot remember a time when she did not stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna cannot remember a time when she did not stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is now a successful teacher (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is now a successful teacher (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna Blackburn, 34, was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens who dubbed her “jibber jabber” because of the speech problem which started when she was a small child.

Her confidence destroyed, she even took to using a false name as she entered the working world, calling herself ‘Hannah’ for two whole years because it was easier to pronounce.

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens (PA Real Life/Collect)

In time, she decided to train as a teacher – but found that, once qualified, she struggled to read the morning register aloud, and was sometimes forced to write what she had to say on the whiteboard.

But now, having enrolled on a speech therapy course, she has finally overcome her stammer – and is even considering becoming a motivational speaker.

Anna, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, said: “I feel completely empowered now. I was petrified I was going to be like this for the rest of my life, but now I believe I can do anything.”

Anna has finally overcome her crippling stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has finally overcome her crippling stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

For as far back as she can remember, Anna struggled with her stammer, prompting cruel children at school to mock and mimic her.

Between the ages of six and 10, she saw a speech and language therapist – but said it did little to help.

Then, when she went to secondary school, things got worse.

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna has overcome her stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

With the frequent playground taunts destroying her confidence, she became angry and would swear a lot to cover up her impediment.

“People would think it was okay to say things about my stammer, tease me or ask why I couldn’t get it under control,” Anna recalled.

Anna is even considering becoming a motivational speaker (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is even considering becoming a motivational speaker (PA Real Life/Collect)

“I would dread the song Boom! Shake the Room by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince at school discos, as when the lyric ‘but sometimes I get n-nervous and start to stutter’ came on, people would point and laugh at me.”

For years, Anna could barely pronounce her own name, instead making an “aaa” sound and developing a tic where she flipped her head backwards, causing confused looks from strangers.

Her stammer taking over her life, she’d find it too difficult to say where she wanted to go on public transport, and would even pretend she had forgotten things – like the name of a friend – when asked, as she struggled to get the words out.

Anna used to call herself 'Hannah' (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna used to call herself 'Hannah' (PA Real Life/Collect)

“While out for food with friends, I’d just say ‘same’ when it came to ordering, even if I didn’t want the same meals as them because I was too scared of having to say the name of my own dish,” she said.

Despite graduating from the University of Derby with a law degree, Anna’s self-esteem was so low that she never believed she could fulfil her dream of becoming a teacher.

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens who dubbed her “jibber jabber” (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna was heckled by cruel bullies in her teens who dubbed her “jibber jabber” (PA Real Life/Collect)

Taking temporary jobs in admin, her stammer continued to wreak havoc.

And, joining South Yorkshire Police as a secretary in 2008, she even told people she was called Hannah as she struggled to say her own name.

“I couldn’t say my actual name, but found Hannah easier, so let people think that was what I was called for about two years,” she said.

“When I was leaving and people found out, they were mortified I hadn’t corrected them, but it was so much easier for me.”

Anna cannot remember a time when she did not stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna cannot remember a time when she did not stammer (PA Real Life/Collect)

As the years passed, Anna’s dream of becoming a teacher was always at the back on her mind.

Pushing her fears aside, she went to an open day at Sheffield Hallam University in 2009.

“I told them I have a degree in law and wanted to be a teacher, but I have a stammer and was worried I couldn’t do it,” she said.

“They were very encouraging and told me to come back a year later with experience of working with children. I don’t think I realised how bad my stammer was then and thought I would have a go.”

After completing her training at Sheffield Hallam, Anna was offered a job teaching health and social care at at Outwood Academy Valley in Worksop in 2012.

But, despite doing her best to control her speaking difficulties, she still struggled.

“Sometimes I just couldn’t speak in class,” she said. “I gave assemblies occasionally but would suffer terribly with nerves for months beforehand and would often stutter during them. I would also never dare to address other teachers in whole-school meetings.”

Despite being open with her students about her struggles, in November last year Anna reached breaking point.

Anna is now a successful teacher (PA Real Life/Collect)

Anna is now a successful teacher (PA Real Life/Collect)

“I couldn’t even read the register and it got me down so much,” she tearfully continued.

“I genuinely considered leaving my job and going to work in Asda stacking shelves. That way, I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone and could remain in denial about my speech.”

But everything changed for Anna one day in the Christmas holidays last year when she found a Facebook support page for people who stammer, and came across the McGuire Programme, which put her on the road to recovery.

She said: “For years I had come up with tricks to hide my stammer and lived in denial about how bad it was. But looking at the McGuire Programme I saw I had a chance to improve my speech, live my life to the full and be the confident and fantastic teacher I knew I was.”

She joined the class in April this year and, after completing a five-day course in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and developing breathing techniques, practicing public speaking and looking at psychological factors, Anna was transformed.

Returning to school after the Easter holidays, she was gobsmacked when she read the school register with ease.

“It was an amazing moment to go through the class names and not trip up once,” she said. One student even said, ‘Miss, you’ve got your voice back!’ which made me burst into tears, because I really did.”

Now, taking assemblies and even addressing staff at whole-school meetings, Anna admits she still has to work on her speech, but is a different person from the one she was 12 months ago.

And with two coaches from the programme supporting her, she sends voice notes to them through WhatsApp every day, to make sure her speech remains fluid.

Ahead of her wedding to her fiancé, who she does not wish to name, in November this year, Anna feels confident she will read her full vows without a slip-up.

Anna added: “I can’t believe how far I have come, it’s been such a big transformation in such a small period of time. I would urge anyone with a stammer to get the help and support they need. I feel like I could achieve anything now.”

Next Article

England overcomes Chakravarthy to beat India by 26 runs in third T20

2025-01-29 02:02 Last Updated At:02:11

RAJKOT, India (AP) — England overcame Varun Chakravarthy’s 5-24 to beat India by 26 runs in the third T20 to keep the series alive Tuesday.

Ben Duckett overcame his poor start to the five-match series to score 51 off 28 balls as England put on 171-9 in 20 overs. Chakravarthy picked his second five-wicket haul in T20s.

In reply, India was restricted to 145-9 (20 overs) as Jamie Overton picked 3-24 in four overs. The hosts lead the series 2-1.

Jofra Archer (2-33) and Brydon Carse (2-28) took a brace each.

India had won the first two T20s in Kolkata and Chennai by seven and two wickets, respectively. Pune will host the fourth T20 on Friday.

This was after India had won a third consecutive toss and opted to bowl again. The hosts made one change — Mohammed Shami made his long-awaited return to international cricket.

Shami last played in the 2023 Cricket World Cup and replaced left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in the Indian eleven. England fielded an unchanged side.

Put in to bat, Duckett was unperturbed as Phil Salt (5) fell cheaply for a third straight game.

Duckett struck seven fours and two sixes, putting on 76 off 45 balls for the second wicket with skipper Jos Buttler who scored 24 off 22 balls.

Chakravarthy got into the act by dismissing Buttler in the ninth over, and England was dealt another blow at the halfway stage as Axar Patel removed Duckett as well.

It became 108-4 in 12.4 overs as Harry Brook (8) was bowled off Ravi Bishnoi going for a sweep.

Liam Livingstone rediscovered his touch to score 43 off 24 balls and held the English innings together even as Chakravarthy attacked at the other end.

He dismissed Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton off successive balls in the 14th over. While denied a hat trick, he went on to pick his second five-for in six T20s.

Chakravarthy’s best of 5-17 had previously come against South Africa last November at Gqeberha — India lost that game by three wickets.

Livingstone hit five sixes and helped England to its highest total of the series – rescuing his side from a precarious 127-8 in 16 overs.

Chasing 172, India’s top order failed against the English pacers. Archer unsettled Sanju Samson once again — out caught for three.

Abhishek Sharma scored 24 off 14 with five fours but was caught off Carse in the fourth over. India was down to 48-3 as skipper Suryakumar Yadav fell for 14 against Mark Wood.

The turning point came when Adil Rashid bowled in-form Tilak Varma for 18 runs in the eighth over.

It left Hardik Pandya to hold the innings together and he tried, scoring 40 off 35 balls.

But India continued losing wickets at regular intervals with Washington Sundar (6), Axar Patel (15) and Dhruv Jurel (2) failing to score big.

Pandya hit two sixes but was out caught off Overton in the 19th over to signal an end for Indian hopes.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's captain Jos Buttler, facing right, celebrates with teammate Mark Wood after winning the Twenty20 cricket match against India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's captain Jos Buttler, facing right, celebrates with teammate Mark Wood after winning the Twenty20 cricket match against India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton, center, celebrates with captain Jos Buttler, left, and teammate Ben Duckett the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton, center, celebrates with captain Jos Buttler, left, and teammate Ben Duckett the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Hardik Pandya bats during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Hardik Pandya bats during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Hardik Pandya bats during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

India's Hardik Pandya bats during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's players celebrate after winning the Twenty20 cricket match against India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's players celebrate after winning the Twenty20 cricket match against India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton, left, celebrates with teammate Phil Salt, the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton, left, celebrates with teammate Phil Salt, the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton celebrates the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

England's Jamie Overton celebrates the wicket of India's Hardik Pandya during the Twenty20 cricket match between England and India in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

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