A diving accident in 1967 left Joni a quadriplegic in a wheelchair, unable to use her hands. After two years of rehabilitation, she had developed new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. Joni founded the organization Joni and Friends in 1979 to accelerate Christian ministry in the disability community throughout the world. Her work has mainly focused on influencing the church on disability-related issues. She is the author of over 35 books. Her best selling and award-winning works cover topics ranging from disability outreach to reaching out to God. In addition, Joni has also written several children’s books.