In 2003 a small group of patients from around the United States convened in New York City to:

• Share their experiences with throat and larynx cancer, vocal cord paralysis and voice loss including the frustration they felt with the initial standard management they received and the gratitude they felt for eventually finding state-of-the-art care at the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center that was not only effective in treating underlying medical conditions, but also restored their voices.
• Discuss how they could make the public more aware of the importance of voice in society and the devastating impact associated with voice loss, and to determine what could be done to help advance voice care including making other voice patients aware of improved treatments.

The Voice Health Institute (initially named the Institute of Laryngology and Voice Restoration) was born out of these discussions. Julie Andrews, the iconic singer/actress who lost her singing voice joined the VHI at its incorporation as the Honorary Chairwoman. Since then, other high profile performers and media personalities have lent their support and currently comprise an Advisory Board that includes Julie Andrews, Steven Tyler, Joe Buck, Roger Daltrey, Lionel Richie, Christina Perri, Connie Fisher, Dick Vitale and Paul Stanley.

In the first decade of its existence, the VHI provided critical support for many important advances in the treatment of voice and upper airway problems (see Research section of this site), and has played a major role in educating the next generation of clinicians/surgeons and scientists who will carry these advances forward (see Education section of this site). None of this is possible without the generous support of donors who want to join the VHI in reducing and someday eliminating voice loss.

Since its inception and qualification as a federally-approved non-profit public charity (501-C-3), the VHI has funded educational and award-wining pioneering research programs at:

The VHI has funded educational and award-wining pioneering research programs at:

• Massachusetts General Hospital
• Harvard Medical School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
• New England Conservatory of Music and
• American Broncho-Esophagological Association (ABEA)
• Boston University
• University of South Carolina