David Blevins
I became a laryngectomee in 1998 after radiation failed to cure my larynx cancer which had been diagnosed a year earlier. I began my working life after college as a high school teacher, and had spent the last 20 years as a college professor before I retired. In between those professions I was a public school supervisor at the local and state levels. My bachelors degree is from James Madison University, and both graduate degrees are from the University of Virginia. I was born in Tennessee, raised in Washington, D.C., and have spent more of my life in Virginia than anywhere else, although I spent nearly 20 years split between Indiana and Alabama before retiring and returning to Virginia.
I thought I could use my experience as a teacher to "teach" and inspire via my local club newsletter. That lead to my becoming editor of the WebWhispers monthly publication, and then editor of the "IAL News." It was my great pleasure to be given the opportunity of improving those two publications. I currently edit the newsletters of two local laryngectomee support groups, and am a major contributor to the "IAL News."
I am the current president of my local laryngectomee support club in Virginia and have served in several other offices in it and in my previous club in Alabama. I have been my club's Delegate to Annual Meetings for at least five years. I currently serve on the IAL’s Board of Directors. I also previously served in this capacity and have served on the IAL’s Public Affairs, Executive Director and Voice Institute Director Search, Finance and Bylaws Committees.
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Acquiring TEP voice took me more than a year and I finally got voice at the IAL Voice Institute in Reno in 1999. And I know of several others who obtained the "miracle" of speech at IAL Voice Institutes and believe in their importance to us all.
I am the father of two grown daughters and have become, at a late point in life, something of a physical fitness fanatic. In addition to working out every day, I am also a volunteer certified coach at my local public recreation center. |
I believe in the IAL, not only for what it has done for me in getting voice, but for the unique services it provides to all laryngectomees through the Annual Meeting, Voice Institute, "IAL News," and publications. It has been of of the greatest pleasures and honors of my life to have been given the opportunity to serve my fellow laryngectomees.
