International PPA Awareness Day - Understanding Primary Progressive Aphasia

International PPA Awareness Day was on Friday 4th April 2026. Whether you marked the day or are only just hearing about it now, we wanted to take a moment to share some information that we think matters - not just on one day, but every day.

What PPA and post-stroke aphasia have in common
What connects us

  • Both affect the brain and make communication harder
  • Both can affect speaking, understanding, reading, and writing
  • Both are still widely misunderstood by the public
  • People living with both deserve understanding, good therapy, and public awareness
  • Both communities are stronger when they support each other

What PPA is
Getting to know PPA

  • PPA is a rare condition caused by a gradual brain disease, not a stroke or injury
    It affects language slowly, over months or years.
  • There are three types of PPA, each affecting language in slightly different ways
  • Because PPA is progressive, the goal of support is to maintain communication for as long as possible - and to live well
  • Speech-language therapy, communication tools, and specialist support groups all play an important role

✨ You may have heard about PPA when actor Bruce Willis's family shared his diagnosis - their openness has helped many people learn about this condition for the first time.

What PPA is not
What to know if you have post-stroke aphasia

  • PPA is not caused by stroke or brain injury
  • It does not happen because of post-stroke aphasia
  • Having post-stroke aphasia does not put you at risk of developing PPA
  • PPA is not the end of communication - with the right support, people with PPA continue to connect, participate, and live meaningfully

💛 A word for anyone living with PPA
If you or someone close to you has a PPA diagnosis, we want you to know: you are welcome here. This is not a condition that separates you from others living with aphasia - it is one that connects you to a community that understands what it means to live with communication challenges.

You deserve hope, understanding, and support.

Want to read more?
Trusted & free resources:

  • National Aphasia Association - aphasia.org/primary-progressive-aphasia - Plain-language guide for people with aphasia and their families
  • Alzheimer's Research UK - PPA Booklet - alzheimersresearchuk.org - Free, thorough download - search "PPA booklet" on their site
  • AFTD - Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration - theaftd.org - Dedicated support for people with PPA and their whānau
  • FTD Talk Factsheets - ftdtalk.org/factsheets/ppa - Simple, easy-to-read factsheets written for families

Questions? I'm here.
I am happy to talk by phone or email, or to provide more specific information about PPA or post-stroke aphasia.

Best,

Patty Govender
Founder & Lead Therapist at STAR Space

 

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