Carolina Turned Recovery Into Advocacy

Carolina Ulloa Garzón, originally from Colombia, was living in New York while pursuing her PhD. In January 2010, she returned to Colombia for her wedding, planning to resume her life in New York shortly afterward.

Before she could return, she woke with an unbearable headache. She vomited and fainted. At the hospital, doctors discovered a brain aneurysm and performed emergency surgery that lasted nearly ten hours. The following day, she collapsed again and required additional emergency treatment. Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma for one month.

When she woke, her life had changed completely. She experienced paralysis on one side of her body and required a tracheotomy to breathe and a feeding tube for nutrition.

For Carolina, the most devastating loss was language itself. She relearned colors, shapes, numbers, and the basics of communication.

Helping Others Understand Aphasia

In the years that followed, she reshaped her life through creativity and new forms of expression. She published a book explaining aphasia in simple, accessible language to help others understand language disorders.

Recognizing the lack of support networks in Colombia, Carolina founded Afasia Vital six years ago. The virtual community brings together people with aphasia, families, and therapists, creating space for connection and shared experience. Through this work, she continues to transform personal loss into collective support.