Born This Way: Wetherbee Speaks About Life With No Arms, No Legs

Apr. 9, 2009

FLORENCE, Ala. – It’s a life that few have experienced and even fewer can imagine. But it’s a life that Allison Wetherbee has experienced since birth. On April 22, Wetherbee will visit the University of North Alabama to tell her story of life with no arms and no legs. Her presentation, part of UNA’s Disabling the Stereotypes week, will be at 2 that afternoon in the Performance Center located in the Guillot University Center.

Wetherbee, originally from Camden, is public relations director for Easter Seals Camp ASCCA, where she had attended for 10 summers throughout her childhood. Holding a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Auburn University-Montgomery, she worked as a mental health therapist in Russellville for 11 years. Her book, “I Was Born This Way,” was released in January.

Copies of Wetherbee’s book will be available for purchase at her UNA presentation.

UNA’s Disabling the Stereotypes week, April 20-23, will include a variety of presentations, discussion panels, a resource forum, a sensitivity-training obstacle course and similar events. The week will also include an exhibition basketball game between the UNA Lions and the Lakeshore Storm, a wheelchair team out of Birmingham.

The exhibition game will be at 6:30 p.m. April 23 in Flowers Hall. Tickets are $5, or $3 for students. Children under 12 are admitted free.

For more information, contact the UNA Office of Disability Support Services at 256-765-4214.