A determined woman won’t give up on her favourite sport despite being paralysed from the chest down, according to Qevaz.

Stacey Kozel, 41, from Ohio, USA, was diagnosed with lupus when she was 19 years old. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the human body.

Kozel said she always wanted to hike, but felt trapped in her wheelchair. She decided not to let her disabilities hinder her dreams, and is now using computer-generated leg support to help her walk.

Stacey Kozel doesn't let her disease stop her from hiking. Photo courtesy of Qevaz

The leg support helps her bend her knees while she is walking. To compensate for the paralysed legs, she uses her arm, neck and shoulder muscles to walk.

Her goal is to hike all the way through Appalachian Trail, a scenic hiking trail in the US. On top of that, she wants to do it all alone.

She started hiking in March and has so far hiked almost 1500 kilometres. The trail is more than 3500 kilometres in length.

So far only four people have finished the entire trail, according to information provided by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Kozel won’t let that discourage her, as she said she never thought the project is going to be easy.

Her determination and ability to adapt to the environment and her own disabilities might have been inspired by the people of the world, but she will surely inspire other people too.