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Woman to take part in bridge run after doctors say she will never walk again


Woman to take part in bridge run after doctors say she will never walk again.
Woman to take part in bridge run after doctors say she will never walk again.
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Some 40,000 people will line up on Saturday for the Cooper River Bridge Run, each with their own story. But one Lowcountry woman is set to be one of the first paraplegics to ever walk the race.

Marka Rodgers was paralyzed from the shoulders down after a 2012 car accident. She was told she'd never walk again, but thanks to technology and a lot of perseverance she will also line up at the starting line on Saturday.

Rodgers has lived in Charleston for 28 years. She admits, until recently, she had no desire to participate in the Cooper River Bridge Run.

"Never," she said. "I hadn't stepped on the foot of the bridge ever."

Using braces equipped with technology that gives her the ability to stand and walk, Rodgers can now see the finish line. She said it's been the challenge of a lifetime.

"These braces don't do the work, they are an aide and the crutches, they hold me up," Rodgers said. "It's not like flipping on a switch and you go. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication."

Rodgers said a lot of people have helped her get where she is today, including her physical therapists at Roper St. Francis.

"Going up and down ramps, practice in parking garages to try and get that incline similar to the bridge just to kind of get a feel for long distance uphill and downhill," said Jamie Hamric, Rodgers' physical therapist.

A formally trained dancer, Rodgers said dance is a discipline that has carried over both physically and mentally. She said she's learned a lot about herself through this journey.

"Life is do-able and the more we work there's always something past this moment," Rodgers said.

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