Blog

Day 16 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia – Meet Rebecca – One of MnCAN’s Amazing Facilitators!  For the past several years, Rebecca has been making a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals living with aphasia through her work as a MnCAN facilitator.Rebecca first joined our facilitator

Day 15 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Chris!  At just 45 years old, Chris, a native of Eden Prairie, MN, experienced a massive, life-changing stroke. A veteran of the Air National Guard, graduate of St. Cloud State University, and talented IT engineer, Chris had recently

Day 13 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Michaela!  Michaela is one of the newest members of our MnCAN family. She and her brother, Mario, found MnCAN at the end of 2025 and joined us for our Holiday Coffee, Cocoa & Cookie event, where they quickly

Day 14 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Jeff!  Jeff is a perfect example of how many people first come to MnCAN. Often, a speech-language pathologist recommends MnCAN as a next step after therapy—or as a complement to ongoing therapy—but many people are understandably hesitant to

Day 14 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Kevin! Today, we’re excited to introduce Kevin, a longtime MnCAN participant whose dedication, positivity, and friendships have made a lasting impact on our community. Kevin has been part of MnCAN for many years and has built strong friendships

Day 12 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Ed!    Ed joined MnCAN a few years ago and has become such a valued part of our community. One of the first things you’ll notice about Ed is the way he welcomes others. He greets participants as

Day 11 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Leah!    Leah joined the MnCAN team as a group facilitator in 2020. She has facilitated a virtual group for 6 years.  Leah brings a kind, warm, and calming presence to her Maple Grove Virtual MnCAN group. Her

  Day 10 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Marilyn!  Marilyn has been part of MnCAN for many years and is involved in several of our groups. She’s truly one of a kind, always demonstrating warmth, thoughtfulness, and a deep commitment to supporting others living with

It is Day 9 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Russ!  Russ joined MnCAN a few years ago, and he is such a welcomed addition to any group. He greets everyone with a handshake as they arrive and makes a point to include everyone in the

It’s Day 8 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — today we’re celebrating John!   John has been with MnCAN for a long time, and his advocacy, and energy are felt everywhere he goes.  He’s also someone who is always looking for ways to share the value of MnCAN

Welcome to Day 7 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — today we recognize the importance of our MnCAN volunteers!  Meet Ella!  Ella is a speech-language pathology (SLP) student who just graduated from the University of Minnesota with her undergraduate degree and will be pursuing her Master’s degree

Welcome to Day 6 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — today we’re celebrating Mary!   Mary came to MnCAN after her neurologist recommended she connect with other people with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). What began as a referral has grown into a powerful presence in our community. A

It’s Day 5 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia-Meet Janine!  Janine is a long-time MnCAN participant whose presence lights up every room. She is involved in multiple MnCAN groups, always bringing smiles, joy, encouragement, and support to everyone around her. Janine is always welcoming to newcomers of MnCAN,

It’s Day 4 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia-Meet Marcus!    Marcus is one of our resilient and dedicated participants, and one of the younger members of our MnCAN community. Over the past year, we have had the privilege of getting to know Marcus and witnessing firsthand the

Day 3 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia — Meet Jill! Today, we are proud to introduce Jill, one of the incredible faces behind the MnCAN community. MnCAN Group Facilitators are the day-to-day heart of our nonprofit. They are patient, compassionate, communication-trained professionals who uplift, support, encourage, and guide

It’s Day 2 of MnCAN’s 30 Days of Life with Aphasia! Rob and Lynette have been part of the MnCAN community for 11 years. As both a participant and a care partner — and with Lynette also serving on the MnCAN Board of Directors — they have experienced firsthand the meaningful

Ric is a new member of our MnCAN community, despite having lived 23 years post brain injury with aphasia. We are so grateful he found our community and his story reminds us it is never too late to advocate for yourself! Every day in June, we’ll spotlight someone from our