Before there was the Dancing Doctor, there was a shy  6 year old Vietnamese girl who dreamed of fulfilling 3 magical goals; the first was to become a doctor; the second, becoming a great mom (inspired by her amazing mother) and the third, developing into a beautiful dancer. When this girl would go to bed, she imagined and believed that she was meant to do all three.  Each goal would take their time with significant trials and tribulations and yet along the way, the little girl inside of her held her dreams close to her heart and did not waiver when challenges surfaced.  And so starting in Elementary school, all the way to postgraduate training, she dedicated herself to the pursuit of medicine. After finishing medical school at OHSU, she then completed her family medicine residency  in Madison, WI.   She married the love of her life, also a young and aspiring doctor, Dr. Scott Hadden, and they jointly opened up the first clinic in Aumsville, OR in 2001. 

 

Today, after 23 years, both Drs Tanie and Scott are still the town’s 2 rural doctors. Dr. Tanie could not have picked a more fulfilling first career and she is eternally grateful for the relationships she has cultivated over the years. Then came raising her family. Her children, Maddy and Ethan became the center of her life for many years. They are now young adults, and have opened up their wings.  Maddy graduated from University of Puget Sound with Honors in History and Ethan is firmly rooted in his studies of the Arts at University of Oregon. Tanie could not be more proud to have raised kind-hearted smart individuals. Now, onto the dancing part.

 

In 2019, Dr. Tanie volunteered as a dance contestant for a community fund raiser called Dancing with the Salem Stars. She was among one of the 6  community contestants competing for the mirror-ball trophy. After only 1 week of rehearsals, she danced her heart out in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 400 guests at the Elsinore Theater. Let’s just say that the judges and audience were hoodwinked by her adrenaline-pumped enthusiasm and mile-long lashes. And yes, the audience voted her in as the mirror-ball trophy champion!! It was at that moment, at the age of 47,  all 3 of her life's ambitions were actualized: winning the mirror ball trophy in front of her peers and family, being a mom to 2 most amazing kids, and being a rural family doctor over the past 23 years could not have felt more right! She felt electrified and invincible.  She even slept with the trophy the first night! Something curious happens when one achieves their lifelong goals. For the Dancing Doctor, it gave her a huge sense of confidence and encouraged her to dream even bigger!  What is the next goal you ask? Dr. Tanie is working so hard to win Ohio Latin division  and United States Dance Championships in 2024 and 2025 and Black Pool, England in 2026. 

 

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