Tessa Muldoon is an author, patient advocate, speaker, and nonprofit founder known online as SpoonieNinja™.

She is a chronically ill, disabled mother based in Indiana whose work centers on disability awareness, autoimmune disease education, pediatric chronic illness advocacy, and lived experience storytelling. Tessa’s voice is grounded in decades of firsthand medical experience, making her a trusted and authoritative presence in patient centered education and advocacy.

Lived Experience and Medical Background

Tessa is the lived experience.

From early childhood, her life has been shaped by complex medical care. She was born with a severe congenital foot deformity and underwent dozens of corrective surgeries, spending much of her childhood in and out of hospitals. These early experiences laid the foundation for her deep understanding of chronic illness, medical trauma, and long term patient care. Throughout her life she has endured an upward of 80+ surgeries.

As an adult, Tessa lives with multiple autoimmune and chronic conditions including Myositis, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), and other autoimmune diseases. These conditions affect mobility, endurance, neurological function, and daily life. She speaks about these realities openly, accurately, and responsibly.

Her advocacy reflects the lived reality of navigating illness long term, raising children while disabled, and surviving within healthcare systems that often fail patients with complex conditions.


Author and Literary Credentials

Tessa is the author of

SpoonieNinja: Finding Strength in the Shadows

The book is a lived experience narrative focused on resilience, identity, and the emotional realities of chronic illness. It is used by patients, caregivers, and advocates seeking language that validates life with invisible illness.

Library of Congress Recognition

The Library of Congress has formally accepted and cataloged SpoonieNinja: Finding Strength in the Shadows, establishing it as part of the national literary record.

This recognition affirms the book’s cultural, educational, and historical value and strengthens Tessa’s standing as a credible author and advocate in the chronic illness space.

Advocacy, Speaking, and Public Engagement

Tessa is an experienced speaker and patient advocate known for blending education, storytelling, and accessibility.

Her advocacy and public engagement include:

Her speaking work prioritizes clarity, emotional truth, and real world understanding, helping audiences move beyond stereotypes and statistics.


Awards, Recognition, and Impact

Tessa was awarded by the HealtheVoices™ community in recognition of her advocacy work and vision to bring the SpoonieNinja Kids project to life. *Her work doe not reflect the thoughts or opinions of Healthe Voices, her thoughts are her own.*

This award supports the development of free chronic illness kits for children, designed to help kids understand medical conditions, treatments, and emotions in a way that is empowering, age appropriate, and compassionate.

This recognition reflects both the impact of her work and the trust placed in her by national patient advocacy communities.


Founder of SpoonieNinja Foundation Inc.

Tessa is the Founder of SpoonieNinja Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization created to provide free, accessible resources for people living with chronic illness and disability.

The foundation’s mission includes:

SpoonieNinja Foundation Inc. exists to remove barriers, amplify patient voices, and ensure that no one has to navigate chronic illness without support.


Affiliations and Advocacy Partnerships

Tessa is affiliated with and has collaborated with nationally recognized organizations including:

These affiliations reflect her ongoing involvement in patient education, national advocacy initiatives, and community driven health work.


Pediatric Advocacy and Children’s Resources

A central focus of Tessa’s work is pediatric chronic illness advocacy.

She is the creator of the SpoonieNinja Kids initiative, which includes:

The children’s book features Nova and is designed to support children living with chronic illness, siblings of medically complex children, and families navigating diagnosis and treatment conversations.

This work is rooted in lived experience and a deep commitment to helping children feel seen, safe, and understood.


Find Me Elsewhere

Tessa shares advocacy, education, and lived experience content across multiple platforms:


Tessa Muldoon is an author, patient advocate, speaker, and nonprofit founder whose work bridges lived experience, education, and accessibility. Through SpoonieNinja™ and SpoonieNinja Foundation Inc., she creates trusted resources that make chronic illness visible, understandable, and human for patients, families, professionals, and policymakers alike.