Tanya Gay Holland was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Tanya was the youngest child of James and Reva Holland. Tanya and her five
siblings enjoyed both urban and rural settings while growing up in Baltimore and Severn, Maryland.
Shortly after participating in
a March of Dimes Walkathon, Tanya contracted scleroderma at the age of fifteen. Nevertheless, in her high school yearbook, Tanya declared,
“My plans are to go to college and someday open a business, then one day get married and have a family.” Despite her scleroderma affliction,
Tanya graduated from high school lin 1980.
Subsequently, Tanya matriculated to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. While
there Tanya majored in computer science with a minor in mathematics. While attending Morgan State University’s summer school in 1982,
she met Stanley Eugene Wood. In 1983, Tanya united in marriage with Stanley. This union blessed them with two children.
A visit to
the United Scleroderma Foundation in Watsonville, California in January of 1988 inspired Tanya to create her own chapter. Hence, Tanya
established a chapter in Columbia, Maryland where she lived. In addition, through her association with the Scleroderma Center at Johns
Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Tanya shared the challenges of living with Scleroderma with countless fellow patients.
Her effervescent personality and indomitable spirit provided hope to all she encountered.
Helping others living with Scleroderma brought
Tanya great joy. Nevertheless, Tanya still found time to accomplish her final objective. In 1996, Tanya helped found Integrated Business
Information Systems (IBIS)
www.ibisteam.com.
