CURE NATION: Hailing from a small town in Arkansas, DeAnna Alexander is the creative behind ‘A Butterfly’s Den’, a YouTube channel for the disability community. After sustaining her T7/T8 spinal cord injury, DeAnna saw a massive need: more real conversations about real topics on life after injury.
DeAnna currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia where she is pursuing her Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology. Her heart for helping others realize their potential is apparent from the moment you begin talking to her. DeAnna’s goal is to become a licensed clinical psychologist and eventually study abroad to further her education. She also has a Bachelors in English and a Masters in English and Creative.
“To me, a disability is something that you let hinder you from living your life. What is life for? To live. My goal is to live a purpose-FULL life!”
Learning to live instead of exist with a disability
‘A Butterfly’s Den’ was created for one main purpose: to be the individual DeAnna felt she needed at the onset of her injury to others in similar situations. “I feel that the information I share is needed immediately!” she shares. Additionally, she also sees the importance of not just sharing on various topics, but sharing honesty and authentically. DeAnna is not afraid to speak on any subject and feels that all of it is incredibly needed in the community. While the people who gave her advice after her injury were well-intentioned, DeAnna desired input from other wheelchair users. For DeAnna, it’s important to highlight topics like dating with a spinal cord injury, preventing UTI’s and other topics she feels need covered.
“I looked at them thinking, “How can I believe you when you have the ability to do something I cannot do exactly like you? How do you know when you’ve never experienced it?” she expressed.
DeAnna wants to show through her life all the possibilities that individuals in wheelchairs have. “I do this in the hopes that others will have the same mentality to go out and show themselves for who they are so they can be the inspiration someone else needs to do the same. I always say “each one, teach one!””
change your thoughts, change your life
“Society wants you to believe that you can’t do it, that you have a disability. But don’t let this chair fool you – there is absolutely nothing that I cannot do.” DeAnna shares passionately. Believing that her chair isn’t a disability but rather an ability, DeAnna shares that what her chair provides for her is freedom. “The limitations you have are the ones you create in your own mind. If you have the ability to change your thoughts, you have the ability to manage every problem you have going on in your life.”
DeAnna firmly believes we allow our problems to hinder our ability to living a truly fulfilling life. To DeAnna, her challenges have become her greatest gifts and learn how to continue to live the life of her dreams – even if it looks different. “You can do everything you used to do and more. It’s all about your mindset!”
Why a youtube channel?
DeAnna didn’t begin her Youtube channel until this year. What fueled her motivation to begin the channel was her desire to do even more for the community. After her injury, DeAnna moved back to Chicago. She had previously lived in the city before her injury.
“Prior to my injury, I had my intelligence and my experience to fall back on, despite my limited written or documented education. After my injury, no one took me seriously because of my lack of education and all they could see was my wheelchair.”
From there, DeAnna left Chicago and headed back to her native state of Arkansas to get involved in some sort of peer support, but felt like she faced even more closed doors. “People were not ready to hear what I had to say, because I’m an honest individual and I speak what I feel.” she explained, “they immediately closed the door in my face and asked me to change the way I was speaking because I wanted to automatically motivate people.”
DeAnna landed in Atlanta, Georgia, where she currently lives. After she experienced multiple closed doors, DeAnna wanted to start her channel to be the person she needed after her injury. She wanted to motivate and inspire people, and educate them on the endless opportunities everyone has – even after injury.
“It is easier to try to do what you can, than it is to believe, think, and say that you can’t.” she explains.
deanna’s advice to other women who roll
“Gain the ability to embrace yourself wholeheartedly. Doing that allows you to see life from a different lens. Once you see life through a different lens, it allows you to live life rather than exist in life.”
DeAnna also expresses the importance of loving yourself first, before anyone else. “Become comfortable with yourself! I was one of those individuals who needed to fill my emptiness with relationships. It hindered my ability to be aware of who I am. Once you become aware of who you are, it allows others to see you in that same light. Additionally, it allows you to see others in that light as well.”
deanna’s love of cure MEDICAL!
DeAnna Alexander is a relatively new user of Cure Medical products, but already has good things to say, especially about the Cure Twist. “I love the ones that are already pre-lubricated, as well as how discreet the packaging is. I also appreciate that the insertion process is easy to keep sterile, and that I don’t have to spend ten minutes in the bathroom to change my catheter. It’s an easy, quick process. It also allows me to feel confident.”
Cure Twist®
– Ready-to-Use Catheter for Women
The sterile, single use, Cure Twist®* intermittent catheter by Cure Medical is similar to the design of small cosmetics, and is preferred by women who value discretion and convenience.
To request free samples of the Cure Twist® ready-to-use Catheter or any Cure Medical catheter, contact your local distributor of quality healthcare products, or click here.
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