The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has awarded a $20 million legacy grant to the University of Texas at Austin to fund research and treatment for stuttering.
The grant establishes the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research, which will expand the work of Dr. Courtney Byrd, who founded and directs the Michael and Tami Lang Stuttering Institute, the Dr. Jennifer and Emanuel Bodner Developmental Stuttering Laboratory and the Dealey Family Foundation Stuttering Clinic in the Moody College of Communication at UT Austin.
One of the goals is make effective treatment available to those who are affected by this speech disorder.
“Through her impressive research and dedicated practice towards stuttering, I know she will change the world in this area and help as many human beings as she possibly can," Blank said in a press release.
More than 3 million people in the U.S. stutter, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders.
The disorder has recently gained more attention because Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has talked about his struggles with stuttering.
The mission is also a personal one for Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.
According to the release about the grant, stuttering has been part of Blank’s family for several generations. Blank, himself, has dealt with issues around stuttering.
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