Sunday morning at 7 a.m. is frightfully early for most people. But that’s when the 2011 annual Walk for Psoriasis began Sept. 25 at Freedom Plaza, and that’s when the AU women’s soccer team showed up.
A junior forward, Carleigh Morba has been dealing with psoriasis since being diagnosed in fifth grade, and likens it to a more noticeable chicken pox.
“It’s actually pretty common, despite a lot of people not knowing anything about it,” Morba said. “A lot of Americans have it. It’s basically when your skin cells reproduce too fast, and it causes dryness and red skin.”
Without a known cause or cure, the skin disease attracts awkward looks, embarrassing questions and whispered jokes. An individual with psoriasis can have it rough at times.
“It sucks when people ask you about it and no one knows what it really is, so they don’t know what to say,” Morba said. “It’s embarrassing, and people will think you’re contagious.”
But it’s always easier with a good friend or two to rely on. Or, in Morba’s case, your entire team.
Despite the 7 a.m. start, there was never a question of whether or not the Eagles would be out to support Morba during the walk. The year before, Morba participated in the event with her roommate and parents, but this year, she asked AU Head Coach Dave Bucciero if the team could attend.
Bucciero readily agreed. and the team was even the largest group at the event, walking under the name Team Morba.
Morba maintains a busy life as a successful student-athlete, recently scoring the game-winning goal in a 1-0 hard-fought victory over George Washington University last Monday.
“There’s been times where she’s been in discomfort because of the psoriasis, but it’s never affected the team or her performance at all,” Bucciero said.
Not only has Morba’s psoriasis improved exponentially since last spring, but her on-field performance continues to be strong.
“Her play time has increased, she’s moving off the ball much better and she’s becoming an offensive force,” Bucciero said. “She’s fought through a lot of things and is seeing results this year. I give her a lot of credit. She’s determined not to let psoriasis affect her as a soccer player.”
Morba and Coach Bucciero pointed to the presence of the team that cold Sunday morning as a sign of how close the squad is, and the junior admitted the family-like nature of the team was what got her through some tough times:
“I don’t think I would have made it through the spring without them,” Morba said. “It just meant a lot, more than they even know.”
It was apparent that the Eagles possess exceptional teamwork on and off the field as the team rallied behind their teammate and friend at the walk.
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