President of Stuttering Foundation Receives Prestigious Award

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Feb. 27, 2012) — Jane Fraser, president of the Memphis-based nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, was honored with the Malcolm Fraser Community Service Award on Thursday, Feb. 23, during the 42nd Annual Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders in Memphis.

The award is named for Fraser’s father, Memphis businessman and philanthropist Malcolm Fraser, who was the first to receive this community service award in 1988. Upon his death in 1994, the award was renamed in his honor. Fraser founded the Stuttering Foundation in 1947.

“It is a real honor to receive this award 24 years after my father,” said Jane Fraser. “It is even extra special to be honored during the year of the Stuttering Foundation’s 65th anniversary.”

The Malcolm Fraser Community Service Award is presented each year by the University of Memphis Chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association to an individual in the community as a living tribute to Malcolm Fraser, a man who contributed greatly to the field of communicative disorders. In addition to starting the Stuttering Foundation, Fraser is probably most well known for his publication, Self-Therapy for the Stutterer, which continues to be one of the best-selling books on stuttering.

“For all his accomplishments and unselfishness, we honor his memory with an award given to an individual in the community who has made a significant contribution to the field of communication disorders,” the organization said.

CELEBRITY FOCUS

Alan Rabinowitz

Alan Rabinowitz, Ph.D., who passed away in 2018, was an explorer, wildlife conservationist, and author. He established the Hukawng Valley Tiger Reserve in northern Myanmar, which is about the size of the state of Vermont.

His love for animals began when he was very young.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

King George

In November 2010, worldwide movie audiences were presented with a most interesting and unusual movie release with The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as his wife Elizabeth.

Unfortunately, history may have forgotten the courageous and inspiring story of Prince Albert who stuttered badly and never dreamed that he would ever be king when his older brother, King Edward VIII, abruptly abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.

Emily Blunt

Actress Emily Blunt struggled with stuttering early in her life. A teacher encouraged her to act in a school play at age 12 despite her stuttering.

Blunt’s name is prominently featured on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter.

Mel Tillis

Mel Tillis, born Lonnie Melvin Tillis, was an influential figure in country music, both as a songwriter and a performer. His journey to fame was marked by overcoming personal challenges, including a stutter that he turned into a defining part of his public persona.