Aphasia Support was saddened to hear the news of the death of former trustee Ken Rollin earlier this week at the age of 86.
Ken was a trustee for the charity when we were known as Speak With IT from 2013 to 2021.
Ken was a well-known and respected figure in Wakefield and beyond, stemming from his days as a professional Rugby League player in the 1950s and 1960s where he played for Wakefield Trinity and Leeds. It was at Wakefield Trinity where he made his name, scoring the fastest try in a Wembley Challenge Cup Final in 1960 in Wakefield’s 38-5 victory over Hull FC.
In 1999 Ken suffered a stroke which led to him being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder which affects a person’s ability to communicate. With the help of speech and language therapy Ken made remarkable improvements.
Since his stroke Ken has done so much to ensure that people with aphasia across Wakefield receive the long term support they deserve. He has been an integral part of 2 charities created to support people with aphasia – Speakability Wakefield and Aphasia Support.
James Major, Chief Executive of Aphasia Support pays tribute to Ken:
‘I first met Ken when I joined the charity in 2017 when he was a trustee. I remember him as a very kind and thoughtful man. He always made me think in an aphasia friendly way. He would often very politely ask us to slow down the speed at which we were speaking or he would cut through our jargon filled speeches by asking a very straightforward question which got us to the point we were trying to make. He believed passionately that a person can keep making improvements many years after a stroke, just like he did. He was an inspiration to so many people with aphasia and he will be greatly missed.’
Ken stepped down as a trustee in 2021 but he remained connected to Aphasia Support through attending our annual general meetings. He donated prizes to our raffles and did so as recently as a few months ago. He will be greatly missed by everyone at Aphasia Support and we pass our deepest sympathies to his family.
