Joanna Marie Thanthanavong, a resident of Canal Winchester, was just a couple of hours from death. Luckily for Joanna, at nearly the last moment her ER doctor was able to diagnose her with Addison’s disease and properly treat her. Luckily
for countless others, Joanna decided to dedicate herself to this cause to ensure that Addison’s sufferers would be diagnosed correctly. Joanna has since founded The Addison’s Disease Foundation and is currently the Executive Director.
The goal of The Addison’s Disease Foundation is to support Addison’s patients as well as create awareness of the tragic disease. The foundation often develops fund-raising activities and event to generate money for research and hopefully, one day
a cure for Addison’s disease. Generating awareness of the understanding and treatment of Addison’s is a large part of what the foundation does also. The Addison’s Disease Foundation works with ER doctors to help them recognize the signs of the disease so patients can be diagnosed correctly and quickly. Joanna firmly believes that if she and others keep working hard, they will be able to generate enough money for research that soon a cure will be found for Addison’s disease.
As committed as Joanna has been to this cause, she would not have been able to achieve as much as she has without the help of her husband, Vince. “He has been our rock and provider, I still have butterflies in my stomach when I see him.” Joanna says of Vince. It was Vince, himself who carried Joanna to the car and rushed her to the ER that night when she nearly lost her battle to Addison’s. He saved Joanna’s
life and inspired her to go on and work towards her own goal of saving the lives of other Ad- dison’s sufferers. Joanna and Vince have been blessed with five children, Ethan, Mckenzie, Sean, Corey, and Veronica.
Joanna believes that with God all things are possible. She encourages others to have faith and go after their goals. Joana says, “You can do anything you want to do, have faith, work hard, and never take anything in life for granted because it is truly a gift from God.”
For more information on the Addison’s Disease Foundation, visit www.AddisonsDiseaseFoundation.com.