South Africa: Marlene Le Roux - 'I'm a Disabled Woman, Look Me in the Eye'
[spotlight] High-octane executive force Marlene le Roux tells Spotlight about contracting polio when she was three months old, about not dimming her light, and renovations that made the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town one of South Africa's most accessible public spaces.
Marlene Le Roux, a high-powered executive and CEO of the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town, shares her story about living with polio contracted at the age of three months. She emphasizes the importance of not letting her disability define her and being proud of who she is. A permanent cold in her left leg due to post-polio syndrome forces her to take frequent baths.
As a passionate disability activist, she is dedicated to making public spaces more accessible and promoting equal rights for disabled individuals. Le Roux is the patron of the non-profit organization Lief en Leed (Love and Loss) in the rural town of Mamre, where she advocates for the needs of post-polio sufferers. She highlights the importance of universal design in public architecture, and how implementing such design principles can benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
