August 2014: Milind Sonawane SLT: becoming part of the digital world

The life of an SLT

It was a late September afternoon and I was spicing my soup when I read about an opportunity to work with Neuro Hero. As a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) I have always been interested in using digital technologies to help my patients. I started using SLT apps when I was working in MINDS clinic in Singapore and my private practice in India. My interest developed when I became a part of developing low cost assistive communication device with the Polytechnique College in Singapore. Now I find myself in the small Irish town of Charleville working with clients across various clinical diagnoses from cradle to grave service & nursing homes. Every day I work with clients trying to find a good technological match for their communication needs. While working with various apps I kept wishing for an opportunity to work on apps that could help my clients and those living with dementia, acquired brain injury and speech and language difficulties. When the Neuro Hero opportunity came, it looked like my chance to work on a great project, go to the big city (Dublin) and become part of the digital world to aid communication.

 

Cobbled streets in the heart of old Dublin

My first meeting with Aviva was in the former Guinness Store House; I half recognised the old cobbled street and stone building from their appearance in films and TV series. My perception of CEOs in the corporate world is very different to what I saw in Aviva. She was so gentle very, professional and there was an instant connection with her dream and my passion for technology and doing something different. When I heard her saying “okay you are part of my team”, my heart raised and my mind started playing tricks. After the meeting I immediately called the most important person in my life, my wife. She asked if I had eaten, I said “yes I have eaten, drunk and I am intoxicated with the new project”. She thought I was mad!

 

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