Suzanne Rehak photoThaddeus Runnels offers words of encouragement to his daughter Ke’Ana as she prepares for the 2010 Miss Teen Texas International pageant in San Antonio on Sunday.

Runnels, 17, has been battling ataxia since 2008, yet is certain the neurological disorder will not keep her from obtaining the Miss Teen Texas crown.

Event is this weekend

The competition, part of the Miss USA network, begins on Friday and judges participants ages 13-18 in the categories of evening gown, fitness wear, fashion wear and interview.

Runnels, a Houston resident, is one of two girls from Fort Bend County to participate in the pageant and will present her platform, Children and Adults with Multiple Sclerosis and Neurological Disorders, to a panel of five judges. The other Fort Bend participant is Allure Anoma, Miss Teen Sugar Land.

However, Runnels' father said the outcome of the event is not as important as the steps she has taken to make it to her first competition.

"Two years ago, we didn’t know if she was going to be able to even walk or talk," the elder Runnels said as he describes the events that transpired shortly after he learned of his daughter's illness in 2008.

Cancerous tumor removed in 2008

Runnels, a junior at Travis High School near Richmond, was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 after doctors found a tumor on the surface of her right ovary.

The mass, which Runnels said contained fragments resembling human teeth and bones, extended from her stomach to her back and caused her to have pains so severe that it often left her unable to walk.

Runnels underwent surgery in 2008 to remove the tumor and said she is currently cancer-free, yet struggles with vision problems, numbness and lack of coordination from the ataxia that appeared shortly thereafter.

To prepare for the competition, Runnels maintains a disciplined exercise program three times a week, a regimen which she said has helped her gain confidence and self-esteem both in and out of the spotlight.

What is ataxia?

Runnels said that ataxia is a rare disease that presents symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis, a neurological disorder that affects 2.5 million people worldwide, including 400,000 people in the United States.

Runnels works with her mother, Keena, a nurse at Mission Care Center in southeast Houston and her father, a home health care nurse with Trans Care in Sugar Land, to maintain an appropriate physical therapy routine.

Though Runnels said there is no cure for the disease, she hopes to work closely with The Montel Williams MS Foundation so others like her can find ways to sustain a normal lifestyle.

"At school, it’s especially hard because it affects the way I read, and it affects the way that I talk so I have to concentrate and speak slowly," Runnels said.

Runnels was named Miss Teen Houston International by pageant officials in November and has made appearances at events throughout the Houston area including the Martin Luther King Grande Parade in Houston on Jan. 18 and the Fiesta Black History Celebration on Feb. 20.

Runnels said she paid an entry fee of $650 to participate in the pageant, and has worked with her manager, Crystal Stone, to perfect components of her persona dealing with poise and confidence.

"First, I was kind of skeptical because I didn’t have high self-esteem, but once I started it kind of gave me a boost and it helped me realize my true potential," Runnels said.

Runnels, who was initially discovered through her profile page at modelmayhem.com said her experience living the condition makes her a prime spokeswoman for children living with severe illnesses and health issues.

Thirty-five girls from across Texas will compete in the three-day competition, including four other contestants from the Houston area, Nicole Wilkins, Miss Teen Greater Houston, Serena McKinney, Miss Teen Harris County, Deanna Tousant, Miss Teen Liberty County and Emily Avera, Miss Teen Pasadena.

What winner will receive

The winner of the Miss Teen Texas Pageant will receive a prize package valued at more than $15,000 and the chance to represent Texas in the Miss Teen International Pageant, July 22-24 in Chicago.

Runnels said that she will continue to promote increased awareness about multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders even if she doesn’t place among the top winners in the overall pageant competition.

Continuously, Runnels repeats her favorite phrase, ‘If you have a will to live, you have a will to fight,’ to remind her about her true purpose for entering the pageant.

"I just want more people to know about (multiple sclerosis) and donate to The Montel Williams MS Foundation … I’m not really focused on helping myself, but helping other people with neurological disorders."