In 2016, Nicholas Tan suffered multiple strokes in a horrific road accident, which severely damaged his brain’s language faculties. Although his intelligence was intact, he woke up unable to read, write, or even recognise numbers.

He has aphasia, a communication disorder that affects one’s ability to express and comprehend language. The invisible condition is caused by brain damage typically as a result of stroke, trauma, or early onset dementia.

“You can tell from his facial expression he understands, but the moment he opens his mouth, the words just come out as one word,” said his mother, Pauline Tan, 65.

Although speech therapy has helped him to recover basic language skills over several years, Nicholas remains socially withdrawn, having lost the confidence to hold conversations at length.

Now, at 40, the former entrepreneur attends non-profit group Aphasia SG’s Chit Chat Sessions that provide persons with aphasia (PWA) a safe space to practise speaking and fight loneliness.

“Even though we know it's not the equivalent of talking to a mental health professional … he gets to meet people his age who also have the same condition,” said Evelyn Khoo, a speech therapist who founded Aphasia SG.

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