The Johns Hopkins Voice Center Expanded in 2014

Pictured L to R: John R. Saunders, Jr., MD; Barbara Messing, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S; Deetzie Walker; Joseph Califano, MD; Gail Cooper, Esq.; Lee Akst, MD

Imagine suddenly experiencing voice issues that affected your ability to communicate with your family and friends. Though conditions causing voice problems often affect those who use their voices professionally, such as singers and actors, they can happen to anyone.

To better treat its voice patients, the Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head & Neck Center recently expanded the Johns Hopkins Voice Center located on GBMC’s main campus in Physicians Pavilion West. In addition to a larger and completely renovated space, the Voice Center also houses the brand new Fender Music & Voice Studio, furnished with nearly $20,000 in music equipment generously donated by Fender. The expansion was made possible through a $1.6 million donation from the Milton J. Dance, Jr. Endowment Fund. “When someone is diagnosed with a vocal disorder issue, it is life-altering,” says Lee Akst, MD, director of the Voice Center. “This new addition is essential in assisting vocal disorder patients in the healing for their problems by offering them enhanced treatment options and specialized voice therapy by a team of highly trained voice clinicians.”

From speech pathologists to otolaryngologists, the Voice Center is comprised of a variety of specialists that work collaboratively to diagnose and treat voice conditions. Individuals who seek treatment at the Voice Center typically have diagnoses ranging from vocal cord paralysis to head and neck cancers, but individuals seeking education on how to protect their vocal cords will find the help they need as well.