When Polo Ridge Elementary fifth-grader Alexandra Clark crossed the finish line in a Girls on the Run 5K race Dec. 3, she proved a lot of doctors wrong. As an infant, Alexandra was diagnosed with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, a rare disorder that affects joints and muscles.
Her ability to walk was doubtful from the beginning. While the muscles in her legs and arms require support from a brace, she not only walks, but was able to finish a 5K. She plans to participate in a second race this spring.
“I felt like I completed something I never thought I could,” Alex said. “I think of the things I can do instead of the things I can’t do.”
Alex does not let her disability stop her from being active in school and at home. She is an avid reader, even though she is unable to hold a book. She uses her chin to hold up the book and turns the pages with her mouth. She also writes and draws with her feet and uses her elbows to operate the Smartboard.
“Don’t doubt yourself, no matter what anyone says,” Alex said.
