23. How Speech Pathologist Nikki Wells Helps Stroke Survivors Reclaim Their Voice

What would life look like if you couldn’t speak? No way to order your morning coffee, tell someone you love them, or ask for help. For people recovering from strokes or neurological conditions, this loss of communication can be one of the most isolating parts of their journey and it’s where speech pathologist Nikki Wells steps in with purpose and compassion.


Nikki shares how her unexpected start in a teenage sign language class sparked a lifelong commitment to adult rehabilitation. Unlike many who gravitate toward paediatrics, she’s drawn to supporting people through some of life’s most vulnerable moments. She explains how aphasia doesn’t affect intelligence, comparing it to being dropped in a country where you don’t speak the language and why moments of reconnection, like saying a grandchild’s name or sipping tea again, are so powerful.


We also explore how telehealth and technology are reshaping access to care, especially for rural patients, and why speech therapy is so much more than just words. This episode is for anyone who values empathy, resilience, and the power of human connection in healthcare.


It Takes Heart is hosted by cmr CEO Sam Miklos, alongside Head of Talent and Employer Branding, Kate Coomber. 

We Care; Music by Waveney Yasso 


More about Nikki's Organisations of Choice, Logan Hospital Fund (https://www.loganhospitalfund.org.au/)
The Logan Hospital Fund supports the Logan community through funding patient support initiatives, staff education and equipment at the Logan Hospital. Donations support patients and their families and help create a happier and healthier community, where patients, their family, friends, and neighbours experience improved health outcomes.


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