For years Amraiz Khan stumbled over words with a stammer that made him afraid to leave the house.
Now the University of Huddersfield student has left such feelings behind and is aiming to become Student President after conquering his stutter.
Amraiz, 19, who is on his second year in Advertising and Marketing Communication, is about to launch his manifesto.
Such a stance would have been unthinkable even a year ago.
“It was awful. When I had to go to the shop I couldn’t ask for what I wanted. I had to write it down on my phone. Communication wasn’t there whatsoever.
“If I wanted to go anywhere I had to take a second person with me. That’s how bad it was.”
Amraiz puts his new-found confidence down to taking part in the McGuire Programme, a course that teaches stammerers to use diaphragmatic breathing to overcome their obstacles.
He says it worked, allowing him to deliver a public speech in Doncaster.
“I approached 100 strangers using my new breathing technique and letting people know I had a stutter but I was now in full control of it,” says Amraiz, who lives in Bradford.
“Previously I cancelled eight or nine interviews because of how bad my stammer was.
“Those days are over.”
