Meet Arlene, me+ community member

Dedicating her time to local organizations to help her community, Arlene Long shares what has motivated her to be of service to others and how Cure catheters have made a positive impact on her life. Arlene Long began using a wheelchair at fifteen years old, at the end of her first year of high school. Their school hosted a student exchange with another local school one afternoon, with nine students in the car along with the driver. Another driver collided with their car after running a red light, causing their car to flip. It was in that moment that Arlene sustained her injury. She lost a close classmate, and many other students had minor injuries.

Arlene recalls being very active in social activities and student programs while in high school. Between playing basketball, cheerleading, and participating in student council, Arlene kept busy. “Going from being a very active student and being very involved in a lot of things at school to then having to cope with not having control of my body anymore and not being able to be involved in the sports and activities I was at the same capacity anymore was very life altering.” During the first year, Arlene said that life was simply about going through the motions. She felt like she was in a foggy haze.

“It is kind of a scary time because you are trying to find out who you are, while trying to gain your independence while going through your teen years. It was tough for me. I felt like my peers really did accept me, but I had a difficult time finding my place within my peer group.”

Fast forward to now, and Arlene is enjoying life to the fullest. She expresses the difficulty in having to re-learn how to live in such a formidable time in life, but she said the years have been full of practice. Heavily involved in her community, she loves to be able to give back in whatever capacity presents itself.

Arlene’s love of the outdoors keeps her exploring and finding new ways to be involved. One of Arlene’s recent endeavors was a trip to Mammoth Cave. To her surprise, several trails going into the cave had accessible pathways. “One of the caves had an elevator going down into the cave, so I was able to see the cave on a paved path!”

Arlene helped coordinate the construction of an all-inclusive playground for all ages and abilities in her neighborhood. She joined the planning committee for the playground after the mayor reached out and asked her if she would be interested in being a part of it. “Of course, I couldn’t say no! I absolutely wanted to be a part of it. I got to help choose the equipment they installed. It is an all-inclusive park, so we got swings for bigger children, a merry-go-round that can have wheelchairs go on it, there are ramps, and they also got braille and musical equipment, as well as objects with different textures on them for individuals with developmental disabilities.”

Arlene felt called to make sure that the park could be enjoyed by people of all ages, able-bodied individuals, and wheelchair users. She loves the fact that the playground is accessible for adults, whether they are able-bodied or not. She felt it was important that parents, specifically parents who may use a wheelchair, were able to use the playground to join in on the fun with their children.

Arlene encourages women to connect with other able-bodied women and those who use a wheelchair.