Priscille Deborah
Painter, author, and the first French bionic woman
After a career in film production, Priscille Deborah suffered from a severe depression that led her to a suicide attempt in 2006, resulting in her becoming a triple amputee at the age of 31. However, this 'big bang', instead of annihilating her, transforms her. While coming to terms with her disability, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and becomes a professional visual artist, her lifelong dream. Furthermore, she rebuilds her life and forms a united family with her new husband, their daughter together, and her eldest daughter. As the first French patient to benefit from a thought-controlled arm prosthesis in 2020, she strives to change perceptions about disability, while also relying on neuroscience to emphasize that it ultimately depends on us to live the life that suits us. Priscille Deborah is the author of 'La peine d’être vécue' (Les Arènes, 2015) and 'Une vie à inventer' (Albin Michel, 2021).
Prices
- Conference : 5000 €
Localization
Languages
Her conferences
A Bionic Arm Controlled by Thought
A more 'technical' conference on TMR, an American technology that has allowed me since 2020 to control my arm prosthesis by thought: patient profile, limitations of the myoelectric prosthesis, presentation of TMR, a first in France, surgery, rehabilitation protocol.
How can humans adapt to their constantly evolving environment?
The important thing is first to return to oneself, to uncondition oneself to find one’s own way of being in the world. Then, in a world in perpetual mutation, one must be able to adapt constantly, not to be in resistance. And finally, to be aware that we need the connection to others, that we need to move forward together.
What Does Progress Awaken in Each of Us?
Progress is, first and foremost, our personal journey. Is our path in line with our values, our goals, our deep self? Progress is also revealing of our human potential, of how we 'educate' our brain. But progress is nothing without the other. Progress requires teamwork and is therefore revealing of the very meaning of being in the world.
Giving Meaning
How to give meaning to one's life? In my opinion, based on my life journey, there are 3 ways to give meaning: an individual meaning (finding one's place), learning about love and freedom, and the connection to others through transmission and sharing.
Changing One's Legacy
How can we transform our story when we come from a dramatically burdened family lineage so that future generations can start anew? Can we escape our destiny? Can we fight against fate?
What does it mean to be happy?
How has my life journey, however winding it may be, allowed me to find happiness? Can we not succeed in being happy, regardless of our past story, no matter what our scars are? And you, are you happy?
From Resilience to Freedom
A conference about my journey over the past 15 years: how I rebuilt myself starting from the moment (2006) when I woke up on my hospital bed amputated of both my legs and my right arm to becoming who I am today: a fulfilled woman in my career as a painter, in my family life, who has managed to overcome my disability to benefit since 2020 from a thought-controlled prosthetic arm and who seeks to shift the lines on the meaning we can give to our lives once we decide to do so.