My name is Zishan Ghulam, but people call me Shaun as it’s easier to pronounce. I am 35 years old and I am in the 1% of the worlds population who stutters. It runs in my family as my brother also stutters. I had it worse, but believe it or not I am happy I did, because it has taught me so much.
Since I was seven years old, I have had a stutter. I never know what to say when curious minds asked how it started, though.
I was always a sensitive, nervous kid with a tendency to worry about things that never ended up happening. In any case, stuttering has been a cog, if you will, for much of my life. That’s not to say, however, that it defines me.
Greg over the years
My name is Greg O'Grady and I am a person who stutters. I can also introduce myself as a husband, step father, step grandfather, brother, uncle and a manager, etc..
In 2017 I retired after a 35-year career in management with the City of Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services. Retirement affords me with Time and Opportunity – Time to reflect, to travel, to rejuvenate, to resume neglected interests and hobbies and to move forward to the next Chapter of life: the Second Act.
Vvvikesh here, no I didn’t forget my name, I just have a stutter. For more than half my life I never spoke about my stuttering with anyone and I think it was fear of being judged but also guilt. I felt guilty that I was speaking the wrong way and that fluency was the only right way.
Lt(N) Michael BennettMy name is Michael Bennett and I’ve stuttered since I can remember, and I’m 57 years old! There’s been a lot said about how this condition can affect people and I truly feel for everyone who has to deal with it. But it shouldn’t be used to stop you from doing what you want to do. I used the term “deal with" instead of “suffer with" for a specific reason, because we can control the words that apply to us.
Victoria, BC seems to be a drawcard for many people, not only from within Canada but other parts of the world as well. Like many Australians that now call Victoria, BC home, it was a long journey to get here but not as long as the journey my speech has taken me on and continues to do so.