What’s your life motto?

What’s your life motto? Mine is #KEEPGOING

My name is Adrianna, but my friends call me Anna. I am from Columbus, Ohio, and the oldest of four kids. We are a super close family. We pray a lot and value our faith, and it is central to how we see hope in fighting a disease of so many unknown variables.

You see, I was diagnosed with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of my skull, ribs, and spine at 2 years old.

I have been living with FD/MAS for nearly 24 years. Some days I wake up with the same symptoms or headaches days in a row. Other days I wake up and wish I could just sleep through the night because my ribs ache every time I take a breath or laugh.

My vision has been the most crippled by FD. I have had 10 neurosurgeries, one craniotomy, and 9 bilateral endoscopic Optic Nerve Decompressions. Every time I am close to blindness, I have surgery to alleviate the pressure. I run the risk of blindness no matter what, but I’d rather take the chance of surgery than not intervene.

Sometimes I wish I could just be 26 and not think about the 7 medications I take, and other therapies that I rotate between. I look normal to everyone on the outside, but on the inside, my body feels like it’s going against me every day.

But I #KEEPGOING

I am currently in Physician Assistant school at Lipscomb University and when I graduate, I want to work with pediatrics/oncology. Growing up in Children’s Hospital my whole life I want to make it full circle.

And much of that is thanks to Dr. Alison Boyce – MY HERO! She has completely changed my life in the past year through a clinical trial I was fortunate enough to be a part of, and I become speechless when I even begin to think of ways to thank her. She was the turning point in my medical treatment, and I am forever grateful.

FD/MAS Alliance is raising $50,000 this giving season to support the work done by Dr. Boyce and others on the front lines who work tirelessly to make FD/MAS a more manageable disease and help our lives be a little more pain-free.

Donating is never about the money, it’s always about the face of the patient whose life you are directly impacting. Every time. We have a story, we have dreams, and we want to chase them for as long as God gives us. You can change our lives. And what a great gift to give this holiday season.

Thank you and #KEEPGOING!

Adrianna Cannone