Adam Lloyd, S.L.P, is a speech language pathologist and voice specialist at UHealth, the University of Miami Health System. For more information about the Voice Therapy Program, click here or visit the UHealth Collective:
MEET EDUARDO ARAUJO:
When Eduardo Araujo, a physics professor for 47 years, lost his voice after throat cancer surgery, he feared his career was over.
“I wasn’t able to speak essentially. I was afraid that I would have to retire,” Eduardo says.
Eduardo went to see Adam Lloyd, S.L.P., a Speech Language Pathologist and voice specialist at UHealth, the University of Miami Health System, who treats patients with voice disorders.
“A voice disorder is anytime someone’s voice cannot meet the demands that the voice needs to be able to meet. For example, not being able to do the job that they need to do, not being able to talk with their family and friends. His voice sounded hoarse, it was fatiguing very quickly, and it’s very problematic for someone like Eduardo because he is a professor,” says Dr. Lloyd.
We’re about to go inside the Estefan Voice Studio here at UHealth’s Division of Speech Pathology. It’s where Dr. Lloyd and his team do vocal therapy to help patients find their voice again.
“Give me a nice open aaahhhh. Ahhhhhhhh. A little easier to do it when it’s open like that. Nice,” Dr. Lloyd says.
“Similar to physical therapy, you go in and they do some stretching and some strengthening. Well, we do sort of the same thing, but for the tiny muscles and in coordination with the throat,” says Dr. Lloyd.
“That physical massage was amazing. I really felt the difference before and after the massage on the tension on my voice box,” Eduardo says.
The Gloria Estefan Foundation donated the funds to create the Estefan Voice Studio to better serve patients.
“This is just an amazing space. We have instruments, we have computer technology, we have software to analyze the voice. It’s really a game-changer when it comes to being able to get people in and out quickly with their healing of their voice,” says Dr. Lloyd.
After just eight sessions, Eduardo is back in the classroom! He is thankful to have his voice and life back.
“If I can send a big hug to them that will last forever, it will be not enough to say how grateful I am,” Eduardo says.
FOCUSING ON YOU
Focusing on You: Innovations in Modern Medicine is a series of healthcare-related stories airing regularly on WPLG Local 10. For more stories like this one, visit YouTube channels for UHealth, the University of Miami Health System.
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