Why we built this
Caroline knew what she wanted to say.
In 2018, Caroline had a stroke at 38. Before that, she had spent 15 years as an NHS Mental Health Nurse and later as a Serious Investigation Lead, working on cases where poor communication had cost lives.
After her stroke, she was left with expressive aphasia. The words she needed were there. Getting them out was not.
Caroline Sutton is co-founder of Fohr. Every feature, every design decision, every word in this app has been shaped by her experience. She does not just use Fohr. She helped build it.
The name Fohr comes from the only word Caroline could say in the days after her stroke. The spelling is hers — her first attempt to write the sound that was coming out. It felt right to build everything around it.
Aphasia affects over 350,000 people in the UK. It masks intelligence. It does not destroy it.
Our primary focus will always be aphasia — one of the most underserved conditions in the world, and one that too often leaves people voiceless. While our tools have relevance across other communication conditions, we will never lose sight of who we are building for.
She knows exactly what she thinks. She just needs something that can keep up with her. Caroline is not our inspiration. She is our co-founder.
Chris Sutton, co-founder