Woman Develops ‘Posh’ Accent After Jaw Cancer Surgery

Key Takeaways:

• Kim Hall, an Australian woman, developed a northern English accent after jaw reconstruction surgery for squamous cell carcinoma.
• The condition, known as foreign accent syndrome, is extremely rare, with only 112 recorded cases globally as of 2019.
• Doctors believe her speech is unlikely to return to her original accent due to changes in vowel sounds.
• Hall faces challenges in daily communication and has also lost her sense of taste and ability to eat solid foods.
• Despite the difficulties, she remains optimistic about her future post-cancer recovery.

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A Surprising Transformation Following Jaw Surgery

AUSTRALIA: Kim Hall, a 57-year-old support worker from Goulburn, New South Wales, experienced an unexpected change in her life following surgery for jaw cancer. Initially dismissing comments about her altered voice, Hall soon realized that her speech had taken on a distinctly northern English accent. “My mom and my sister came to visit me, and my sister said to my mom, ‘oh, she sounds very posh’,” Hall recounted to news.com.au.

This phenomenon, known as foreign accent syndrome, is a rare neurological disorder often triggered by strokes or brain injuries. However, Hall’s case stands out as it followed jaw reconstruction surgery—a circumstance that has left medical professionals puzzled.

According to news.com.au, Hall was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma after what seemed like a routine dental visit for a toothache. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it was head (and) neck cancer,” she recalled. “Shocked was an understatement.” Her treatment included 34 rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, which left her relearning basic functions such as speaking, swallowing, and drinking.

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Understanding Foreign Accent Syndrome

Foreign accent syndrome occurs when changes in speech patterns lead listeners to perceive a speaker as having a foreign accent. According to Dr. Emma Charter, a speech pathologist assisting Hall, this is not an actual adoption of another accent but rather a speech disorder affecting vowel sounds.

“Vowels carry a lot of accents. So what’s actually happened is her brain has created a change in the way her vowels sound, and we as listeners match that to something we’re familiar with … making it sound like she has a Yorkshire accent,” Dr. Charter explained.

Hall’s case is particularly unusual because the condition is typically linked to strokes or brain injuries, not surgeries. “I was very surprised,” Dr. Charter admitted. “It’s much more rare after surgeries. But it’s not unheard of.”

Despite extensive rehabilitation efforts, Hall’s speech shows little sign of reverting to her original Australian accent. “The vowel changes that sound like a different accent aren’t budging despite the fact that we’ve tried a fair bit of work,” Dr. Charter noted.

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Daily Challenges and Emotional Adjustments

For Hall, the change in her voice has brought significant challenges, both personally and professionally. Working at a school in Goulburn, she frequently encounters frustration due to her altered pronunciation. “I get frustrated a lot because there are words I cannot pronounce because of the Australian vocabulary,” she shared. Simple words like “Australia” now pose difficulties, and she finds herself saying “mom” instead of “mum.”

Beyond her speech, Hall has also lost her sense of taste and the ability to consume solid foods. “Everything I eat or drink, I smell. So when I have a coffee, I like to smell it,” she said. Socializing has become challenging as well, as she must seek out venues offering smoothies or pureed options.

Despite these hardships, Hall remains resilient. “I’m alive, I don’t care how I speak,” she affirmed. “To a point, I would love to go back to my old self, like everyone that deals with cancer, but I don’t want to dwell on it. I want to try and look forward to my future in whatever it may be.”

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A Rare Condition with Global Implications

Foreign accent syndrome is so uncommon that only 112 cases have been documented worldwide as of 2019. While some individuals manage to regain their original speech patterns through intensive therapy and neurological retraining, success varies from case to case.