As human beings, our communication style and voice are vital to our identities, so losing the ability to communicate can be devastating. Fortunately, modern technologies provide solutions that enable personalized communication methods for those with degenerative conditions like ALS and other conditions that make speech challenging.
We talked to two of our speech language pathologists about their thoughts on voice banking and message banking – two options for people diagnosed with ALS and other conditions to preserve their voice. In this article, we dove into topics such as:
- Defining voice banking and message banking
- Benefits and challenges of each method
- The importance of starting early
“It’s important that patients understand that voice is a vital part of their background, their personality, and their story. With voice comes specific characteristics of tone, inflection, and comfort, losses that can be devastating,” Whitfield says. “But it’s important to start thinking about message or voice banking early to have the best results later on,” she adds, so patients can present their strongest voice.

Learn more about how Control Bionics products can help people with ALS or watch Maree’s story.