Dear Community Member,
With heavy hearts we are sharing that our founder and team champion John Ferman has peacefully passed away Tuesday night, November 11, 2025, surrounded by his daughters, Deanna and Deborah.
John founded Chronic Pain Partners/EDS Awareness in 2011 in an effort to raise awareness and understanding about EDS and related conditions after his wife Carol died due to misdiagnoses in 2008. The same year, his daughter Deanna was diagnosed with hEDS. Finally, they had some answers, but they came too late for Carol.
In order to prevent other families from suffering like his family did, John became a full-time volunteer and put everything he had into launching a new organization. At first, Chronic Pain Partners supported patient leaders to create support groups all over the US. John has helped set up more than 100 local support
groups where people with EDS and their families could find resources but also feel validated and seen.
Over the decades, Chronic Pain Partners / EDS Awareness expanded their educational mission by inviting experts to participate in the first comprehensive webinar series for the EDS community, hosting a leadership conference, developing a CME Program to educate nurses and doctors about EDS, before finally starting a multimedia newsletter that features articles, videos and a podcast on EDS
and related conditions.
John was a very direct communicator who knew exactly what he wanted. He volunteered tirelessly and showed his appreciation through grand gestures, for instance, by supporting people in need with donations or funding film projects from his personal accounts. He was often found by his daughters on the phone with EDS patients who called for support — he
would listen, empathize, and offer resources. Additionally, John continued to personally mentor several support group leaders throughout the years and help them with their nonprofits.
John was humble and rarely divulged that he funded nearly a decade of work entirely from his personal funds, never taking a paycheck for his time. All profits from his former online store went directly
to nonprofit operations. For all these actions, he was appreciated and respected by the whole community, including his team of volunteers.
John wasn’t one to complain, ever. When asked how he was doing, he always turned the focus toward the person he was talking to. Even though he was a loving father and lifelong caregiver, he never asked for anything in return. He was assertive
and was always passionate and determined to find the best solution that served the community. Once John put his trust into a person, he was the most loyal, determined, dedicated leader. It wasn’t about himself; it was about what is best for the people he supported, which is a rare find these days.
John graduated from Piqua Catholic High School before going on to earn an
electrical engineering degree from The University of Cincinnati. He worked his way into management positions at Keithley Instruments in Solon, OH and later at Harris Corporation in Mason, OH. He was proud of his credentials as a Professional Project Manager, IT professional and Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM.
He was always passionate about providing service to others,
whether in the EDS world or as an active member of his church. He participated in Marriage Encounter, served as lector, mass coordinator and a Eucharistic minister.
John was an avid traveler, visiting places such as Egypt, Rome and Hawaii with his second wife, Kathy. He enjoyed working and keeping his mind sharp, but when he had down time, he was passionate about his Star Trek and
Howdy Doody collections, which he loved to share with visitors.
John was a selfless, compassionate life-long caregiver and advocate and he spent all his time working hard to provide for the needs of his family and the community. He will be deeply cherished and missed.
His daughter and co-founder, Deanna Hamm, is dedicated to keeping
his legacy alive through the work of Chronic Pain Partners/EDS Awareness.
Please share your memories and recognition for his life’s work in the comments of our article on the website.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John's name to Chronic Pain Partners/EDS Awareness.
Karina Sturm
Chief Editor
Chronic Pain Partners
