Voice banking 'helping to retain identity'

People with motor neurone disease are taking advantage of new technology to try and keep hold of the sound of their voice.

According to the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), the loss of speech is one of the hardest things for people with the condition to come to terms with, often leaving them feeling isolated.

However, scientists at a hospital in Delaware are testing a new technology which can synthetically reproduce the patient's voice, allowing people with motor neurone disease to continue communicating.

Laurence Brewer from Bolton has already begun the process of banking his voice, in case it leaves him before his six month-old son is old enough to understand and remember it.

"Your voice is an important part of your identity. For my six year old son, technology may help him hear my voice," he said.

The MNDA estimates that seven in every 100,000 people in the UK are currently living with the debilitating degenerative disease.

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