Champaign-Urbana celebrates ‘World Voice Day’

Our vocal folds are roughly the length of our thumbnail, and yet they enable us to speak, sing, laugh and share our favorite stories.  

On April 16, the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana—home to the University of Illinois—will recognize World Voice Day, an international celebration of the human voice that shines a spotlight on vocal health. 

Behind the scenes, both proclamations were driven by clinicians and instructors at the Department of Speech and Hearing Science, based in the College of Applied Health Sciences.

“We wanted to bring World Voice Day to both Champaign and Urbana to raise awareness at the community level and emphasize that voice health is relevant to everyone, not just professionals or individuals already seeking care,” said Mariana Mendes Bahia, assistant professor of speech and hearing science. “Voice disorders can affect anyone in our community, and recognizing this day at the city level helps extend awareness beyond the clinic or classroom.” 

Bahia was inspired by the advocacy of Dysphonia International, an association that supports people with voice disorders. Clarion Mendes, clinical associate professor at SHS, encouraged her to get the day recognized locally. The Department of SHS and officials from both cities were fully supportive. 

• On Tuesday, April 14, Champaign city council member Matthew Gladney read the World Voice Day proclamation in the city council chambers, with Speech and Hearing Science faculty and students present. 
• On Thursday, April 16, at 11:15 a.m., Urbana city council member James Quisenberry will come to the Speech and Hearing Science building to proclaim World Voice Day for Urbana, with the whole department in attendance.

A wide range of professions rely on the voice—not just performers. Actors, singers and broadcasters may come to mind, but retail workers, healthcare providers and teachers also lean on their vocal ability and presence every day at work. 

And for reasons that aren’t fully understood, the rate of voice disorders appears to be rising in the United States, Mendes said. An estimated 17.9 million adults in the U.S. reportedly experienced a problem with their voice in the last year, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

“I think of individuals who may not realize the demands they place on their voice, and individuals experiencing voice disorders, for whom communication becomes effortful, limited or even distressing,” said Bahia, who researches swallowing disorders, clinically known as dysphagia.  

To Mendes, World Voice Day is an “extraordinary confluence of art and science,” exciting her students about anatomy and physiology, while showcasing an important part of the speech-language pathology vocation: outreach, education and illness prevention. 

“This day is a reminder that even if we studied and analyzed the voice 24/7, mysteries would still abound, and sometimes we can benefit from taking a pause and simply enjoy the wonder that is the human voice and its capacity for moving us through song or story,” Mendes said. “The Department of Speech and Hearing Science has a legacy of championing the human voice, and it’s incredible to share this with our students and the public.” 

Undergraduate and graduate students in Speech and Hearing Science helped develop educational materials for World Voice Day; explainers on how to protect the voice and when to seek medical attention.

“Our goal is for individuals to better understand how their voice works, recognize early signs of potential problems, and adopt simple habits to protect their voice,” Bahia said. “We also hope these events encourage people to seek care when needed and to view voice health as an important part of overall well-being.”

The Department of Speech and Hearing Science will celebrate “World Voice Day” on Thursday, April 16, at 11:15 a.m. at the Speech and Hearing Science Building.

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