Mary Aragona
Speech-Language Pathologist
"Watching a child get more comfortable with their communication device and use it more independently is a huge moment."
Mary has seven years of experience in rehab.
A moment that reminded her why she does this work
Mary was working with a patient who had been hesitant to use their communication device, when they were finally able to complete a task independently for the first time. "That was really wonderful to see."
A win from this year
Mary recently completed care with a patient the team had worked with for a long time. "I was sad to see him go, but he has made real progress engaging with people around the clinic. He will be very missed, but his progress was exciting to witness."
What people outside the field don't understand
"People frequently think we only work with speech sound disorders. That's an important part of what we do, but the field is so much bigger than that, and it's not even the majority of what I see."
What Mary would want for her own family
"I would want them to feel that the care team was both knowledgeable and compassionate, because both are needed for a good experience. It's also important to take family preferences into account so treatment can be functional."