Those behind an inaugural camp for individuals with aphasia and their communication partners hope it provides a supportive environment to help them rebuild their lives.

According to organizers, the Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp is set for Sept. 17-19 at the Easter Seals Camp in Squamish and is the only of its kind in the area.

Deep Cove resident Sean Standing, 42, will be among the attendees along with his wife Christy Campbell, who suffered a stroke five years ago at age 31. The stroke resulted in some limitations on the right side of her body, for example, her hand, leg and foot have all been affected; however, the biggest challenge facing the couple post-stroke is Campbell's diagnosis with aphasia, which has severely affected her ability to communicate.

Aphasia can result from a brain injury, including a stroke or head injury. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon, aphasia makes it difficult for those diagnosed to express and understand spoken and written language. The extent individuals are affected varies, resulting in a unique set of challenges.

Statistics from the Toronto-based Aphasia Institute suggest approximately 100,000 Canadians and more than one million Americans have the diagnosis and those numbers are expected to increase as the population ages. For many individuals with aphasia -- as in Campbell's case -- comprehension, intellect and emotional understanding are all in tact -- they're just unable to find the words to express themselves, says Standing.

"It affects different people in different ways," he says. "I know some people with aphasia that have one word -- that's it. That's the word they're going to have for the rest of their life."

Immediately following her stroke, Campbell, who was forced to take medical retirement from her job with Environment Canada, having been working in environmental assessment, was able to say one word -- "yes." Her vocabulary eventually increased to a dozen or so words.

"Of those 10-12 words, there might be a 'blue,' there might be a 'dog' there might be an 'if' so it was nothing you could really string together into anything that was a semblance of somebody who had a high level of education and an extensive vocabulary," says Standing. "Being limited to 12 words, it's pretty devastating. So there was a lot of frustration, a lot of guessing, a lot of charades and a lot of times, just 'I have no idea what you're saying.'"

While it can change daily and she struggles with numbers, aspects of Campbell's ability to communicate have returned and she has learned to communicate differently, says Standing. She has become relatively adept at using her left hand to write and is working on sending emails. "Where you and I might crack off an email in 30 seconds, that might take her an hour just to find the words and be able to spell them correctly," he says.

In addition to the communication challenges faced by individuals with aphasia, the diagnosis proves to be very isolating. People make unfair judgments, misinterpreting individuals' inability to vocalize as representative of a lack of understanding, says Standing. And, while aphasia can affect individuals of all ages, community-based recovery programs are often comprised of people in their senior years, making it difficult for someone like Campbell to find true peers to relate to.

Despite the difficulties they've had to endure, Campbell and Standing, with the support of community resources, are committed to the recovery process. "She keeps herself busy just trying to recover as much as she can and maintain the level of recovery she's got," says Standing, adding that despite how tired it can make her, "Christy is constantly trying to do those mental gymnastics, trying to search for words and understand concepts."

Campbell attends programs offered by the North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre, which provides post-hospital, peer-based support and continued recovery for stroke survivors and caregivers living in the community. She goes to a speech pathologist as well as a physiotherapist.

To further impact Campbell's recovery, the couple has continued to look for programs offered elsewhere. Finding limited resources in B.C., they've attended programs in Nova Scotia, Wisconsin and Oregon and all proved extremely helpful. They were surprised at who was in attendance at a month-long program in Halifax they participated in -- three couples from the North Shore and a fourth from Port Alberni. "We found ourselves, four couples, eight people out of a program that took 15 in, all sitting around in Halifax saying, 'Why is there nothing in B.C. like this?'" says Standing.

Returning, they expressed that thought to local individuals working in the field, including Barbara Purves, a faculty member of the University of British Columbia's School of Audiology and Speech Sciences. Purves immediately got on board with the couples' interest in offering a program here.

"Dr. Purves has just been phenomenal in taking the little push and leading it along," says Standing.

"She's really leading the charge from UBC and bringing together all the various funding sources and the volunteers and the components it takes to put together this camp," he adds.

The inaugural Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp, a three-day retreat for people with aphasia and their partners, will be led by staff from the Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society, trained UBC student volunteers from speech-language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy programs, representatives of the North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre and other volunteers.

"It's providing an opportunity for people who have aphasia and their communication partners, like myself, to be in an environment where you don't have to explain yourself, where everybody understands what you're going through. A big thing about these camps was that the people who are the caregivers or the support people like myself are often so committed to helping their spouse or partner, they kind of forget that you have to have a life too."

The camp is intended to offer participants a relaxing experience where they can take part in a variety of activities, like swimming, hiking, yoga, fishing, art and golf, both as a couple or on their own. Following a diagnosis with aphasia, many people are forced to give up their favourite activities because of the physical challenges they also experience. The camp is intended to give them an opportunity to get back in the saddle.

"Having experienced the two camps that we've been to, I just found them to be such a positive experience," says Standing, adding it's amazing to watch his wife try things out and watch her confidence grow as her activity level increases.

Standing has taken on a volunteer role with the camp, interested in raising awareness of the benefits of a program of this kind.

"You've given up a lot as part of having a stroke so it's time to try to build your new life and this provides a supportive environment to try and do that," he says.

The Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp is open to people of all ages, 19 and up, diagnosed with aphasia and their partner, either a spouse, friend or family member. Individuals requiring additional physical care are invited to bring a support person. Organizers are hoping to attract 40 couples. The cost is $150 a person. The deadline for registration is July 30. Info: www.seatoskyaphasiacamp.com.