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Durham woman 'not defined by living with ALS' joins Duke doctor and NC State class to design accessible clothing

Holley Broughton and Dr. Richard Bedlack
Erin Keever
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Holley Broughton and Dr. Richard Bedlack at վ's studio in Durham on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.

ALS took Holley Broughton’s voice, but not her ability to express herself. She uses her clothes and accessories to say “see me.”

Holley found a fellow fashionista in her doctor, Richard Bedlack — the founder of Duke University's ALS Clinic — who wears studded leather jackets, intricately designed rhinestone suits, and other fabulous fashions aimed at bringing joy and hope.

Dr. Bedlack and Holley have joined forces with a design class at North Carolina State University to create adaptive fashion for people living with disabilities that impact their motor functions. Sam Pearce leads the class and joins Holley and Dr. Bedlack in conversation with Due South guest host Celeste Headlee.

about the team's effort in Axios Raleigh.

Dr. Richard Bedlack by վ studio on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025
Erin Keever
/
վ
Dr. Richard Bedlack by վ studio on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025

Guests

Dr. Richard Bedlack, Founder, Duke University's ALS Clinic

Holley Broughton, living with ALS, collaborator on the adaptive fashion project

Sam Pearce, Assistant Professor of the Practice, Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University

Rachel McCarthy is a producer for "Due South." She previously worked at վ as a producer for "The Story with Dick Gordon." More recently, Rachel was podcast managing editor at Capitol Broadcasting Company where she developed narrative series and edited a daily podcast. She also worked at "The Double Shift" podcast as supervising producer. Rachel learned about audio storytelling at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. Prior to working in audio journalism, she was a research assistant at the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC.