Running a road race is a challenge Marissa Tucker was told she might never be able to face.But on May 24, nearly 15 years after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder that limits even simple activities, she plans to tackle her first half-marathon.“It feels great,” she said yesterday. “I need to thank God that I accomplished what I have so far.“I’m beyond my original goal, but I believe I can go further.”Miss Tucker, a 23-year-old psychology student at Bermuda College, said she was first diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) at the age of nine.“I was feeling weak, fatigued, sleepy. I was always sleepy,” she said. “I went to a bunch of doctors. They thought I had Bermuda rot and other stuff.“It wasn’t until my family brought in a doctor that they diagnosed me and sent me overseas.”JDM is a rare disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack blood vessels throughout the body, affecting muscles, bones and skin.An early indicator is a notable skin rash.“The disorder also causes muscle inflammation and muscle weakness, which in turn leads to fatigue, clumsiness and the inability to perform simple physical tasks.“I was shocked when I was diagnosed,” Miss Tucker said. “I was discouraged because I wasn’t even a teenager.“I was thinking that I was going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, and that is not where I thought I would be.”Over the next five years, the effects of the disorder changed Miss Tucker’s life.“It hampered her ability to perform everyday tasks but she said she remained determined to work through it.“I lost a lot of my abilities. I couldn’t brush my own hair. I couldn’t walk up stairs, but I remained determined. I never lost focus,” she said. “The disease weakens the bones and the muscles and kind of tears it apart, making you weak and unstable.“I was on medication from as soon as I was diagnosed. I was sick for five years, then I got better but I had a relapse. It’s been an up and down thing. It’s not been consistent.”After ten years of treatment, she said the disorder appeared to go into remission again. For the past five years, Miss Tucker has been symptom-free.She said the idea of tackling the May 24 half-marathon came to her two years ago, after returning from a trip to South Africa.She missed her target of competing in last year’s event but has rededicated herself to compete this year. Since January, she said she has been working out five days a week in anticipation of the event.“I’ve been doing cardio, running, weight training, circuit training,” she said. “I’m at about eight miles now, which is beyond my original goal.“Right now, I think the heat is my big concern. That’s pretty much it. I have the determination to do it.”While she hasn’t set any major goals following the race on May 24, she said in the future she would hope to improve her time, and possibly even attempt a full marathon.Asked what advice she would give to other young people who may be facing similar challenges, Miss Tucker said: “Really, set a goal and be determined to achieve it. Don’t be discouraged by the negativity of others and what they may portray.“Trust in God to bring you through it. I know it’s not easy at times, but still keep a positive attitude and press forward.”