Joanna was born with the #1 disabling birth defect: Spina Bifida. She also has hydrocephalus and a bicuspid aortic valve (when the heart's aortic valve has two leaflets instead of the normal three, which makes the heart work harder).

Joanna has been through a lot in her little life, including five major procedures. Her mylomingocele was closed a couple days after birth. (this is when the spine is outside of the back in a sac. Doctors had to place Joanna's spinal nerves and tissues into her back, then close the opening).

She had a vp shunt placed in her brain at about a week old, and in July 2005 she had a bladder augmentation and vesticostomy. (Doctors removed her appendix to make a tunnel from her bladder to her belly button where they catherized her.)

She had a cycostomy from the bowel to the rectom. (Over 300 stitches inside) and now her parents flush her bowels through a hole in her belly.

In spite of all she's been through, Joanna keeps smiling; and she's accomplished more than her doctors ever thought she would. She began walking in June of 2005!

If you would like to learn more about her, visit her personal web site at
www.caringbridge.com/visit/joanna.

Click to enlarge

For email and snail mail addresses, personal web site URL, medical fund information, and a current list of interests and hobbies, visit our "Kids List" page.

For CURRENT UPDATES visit our updates page.