ASHEVILLE, NC – In recognition of Aphasia Awareness Month, the Asheville Area Aphasia Support Group is showing a film on the topic of Aphasia. The prizewinning 2012 film titled “Aphasia” stars Carl McIntyre, with a supporting cast of professional actors, who are Carl's friends and have accompanied him through ups and downs of his journey of recovery and adjustment to life with aphasia.

The film will be shown on Sunday, June 10th from 1pm-4pm at the new MAHEC building located at 121 Hendersonville Road in Asheville (near the Doubletree Hotel). The event is free and open to the public. The film will be followed by a reception with complimentary refreshments. Additional sponsors of the event include CarePartners, Mission Hospitals Stroke Program and Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC.)

Aphasia is the loss or partial loss of language skills in an adult with previously normal language. Aphasia can result from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, tumors, or progressive disorders. Recent media coverage of the disorder has highlighted Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who suffers from aphasia as a result of a brutal shooting on January 8th, 2011.

Aphasia affects about one million Americans, or 1 in 250 people. It is more common than Parkinson's Disease, Cerebral Palsy or Muscular Dystrophy. More than 100,000 Americans acquire the disorder each year. However, most people have never heard of it.

The Asheville Area Aphasia Support Group (AAASG) was founded in 2002 by Edna Tipton, who sought to provide her husband, George, with ongoing help for his aphasia when his health insurance no longer covered services. Since 2002, the group has expanded their scope of services, and includes over 50 attendees. For more information on the Asheville Aphasia group, or on the June 10th event, please contact Edna Tipton at: (828) 684-9619 or via e-mail at: ednatip@aol.com or visit the support group online at: http://www.ashevilleaphasia.org