What goes through your mind, Emma
in those moments when you can't get the words out?
When you're stuck to communicate?
Have you felt that... a lot?
Very frustrating.
Emma Beasley is 35.
As a lawyer working in the Family Court,
she relied on her voice to do her job.
But a stroke left her with partial paralysis
and a rarely talked-about neurological disorder called aphasia.
She couldn't talk. She couldn't find the right words.
She recognised us but she couldn't say our names.
The fact that she couldn't communicate
and the realisation that she may not be able to go back to work, ever...
she went into a pretty dark place
and it got worse as she became more aware of her limitations.
At least 120,000 Australians have aphasia.
Caused by stroke or traumatic head injury
it essentially shuts down the part of the brain
that tells us how to communicate.
Although it doesn't affect intelligence,
many lose the ability to talk, write, read or comprehend at all.
By far the majority of people have no idea what aphasia is.
One in six people will have a stroke
and one in three of those will have aphasia.
It just changes your life... the whole family.
When she came out of hospital, she felt isolated.
And she has told us, in her fashion,
that she felt like ending it.
She felt like killing herself.
For Emma, some days she can speak a little,
others she's lost for words completely.
And some days she can write more than speak.
But she may never return to full conversation ability again.
Does it feel for you like you're trapped in your mind in some way?
Sometimes?
But something incredible happened
that's about to turn Emma's life around.
What her parents call "a miracle".
One day my husband just said "Let's put some music on.
"She might respond to music."
And all of a sudden the song 'I Will Survive' came on.
And she started singing it...
..and we just looked so stunned, we couldn't believe.
She could sing that song but she couldn't tell me my name.
People with aphasia
can often not be able to speak
but can still get the words out through singing.
It's really about the various networks in the brain
that look after those different abilities.
Speech is controlled by the left side of the brain,
whereas music is processed by the whole brain
mostly in the right hemisphere.
But for someone with aphasia
it's not as simple as singing what they can't communicate with speech.
When you have a stroke those brain cells have died.
They're lost and that's why the speech won't come out.
But with music,
you're not trying to use the side of the brain that's damaged.
Other parts of the brain can take over the function
and so they're really accessing words which we use in songs
via the music networks
rather than having to go through that channel of language
that's been damaged.
Until now, Emma has only been able to sing a handful of songs.
But today, she's on her way to join a choir for the first time.
And it's no ordinary choir.
Many of these singers have aphasia too.
Welcome to your first choir.
What do you reckon? How are you feeling?
Nervous. Nervous?
You want to give it a go?
Okay.
In our choir some can't speak at all.
Others might have trouble finding the word here or there
but all of them can be lost for words.
It's very exciting for people like Emma who can be so frustrated
at not being able to use that medium anymore,
not be able to get your words out.
And your words are so connected with who you are, your voice.
It's very empowering then. And sure, it's singing.
You're singing songs, it's not just having a conversation.
But there is research starting to suggest
that there can be some carryover into your speech.
Do you just hear the music and then you can sing?
How does music make you feel?
What's your favourite song to sing?
Aw...
You're gonna make me cry.
I would like, for Emma, in the future
to get back to some sort of meaningful work.
It may not be the job that she used to do
because there was a high level of communication involved in that.
But it would be nice for her to have some sort of work
where she feels worthwhile.
And that's why she's wanting to try and spread the word about aphasia
because at least at this stage in her growth
it's giving her some purpose in life.
Fortunately she's in a much better place now.
If it were me, I don't know how I could do what she's doing.
And her attitude to "Okay, this is what I've got.
"Let's try and get at best... better as I can."
It's getting better now, yeah? Your speech is...
Lots of speech therapy.
Lots.
Do you think about the future? What are you looking forward to?
Family Court of Australia.
Going back to your job, yeah?
- Hope so. Fingers crossed. - Fingers crossed.