86. A Mother’s Journey on CDLS with Megan Dahl

What does it mean to choose love in the face of adversity… not once, but twice?

In this deeply moving episode, Ian Bowen sits down with Megan Dahl, a mother of three boys, two of whom have Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CDLS). Megan shares her journey of raising children with special needs—one biological, one adopted—and how she’s turned life’s toughest challenges into opportunities for growth, advocacy, and unwavering love.

Megan opens up about the realities of CDLS, a genetic syndrome with a wide spectrum of abilities, and how her sons Mason and Charlie navigate the world nonverbally. She discusses the intentional choice to adopt a child with CDLS, the daily therapies, immune challenges, and the profound joy her boys bring to everyone they meet.

Beyond parenting, Megan is a fierce advocate for inclusion, highlighting the ongoing struggle for accessibility and basic human rights for people with disabilities. She also courageously shares the story of Mason’s abuse by a home healthcare nurse—and how she channeled her anger into action by founding Mason’s Mission to provide security cameras for vulnerable families.

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, advocate, or simply someone looking to live with more empathy, this episode is a powerful reminder that strength is built in everyday acts of love, service, and persistence.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

1. What Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is and how it varies across a spectrum.

2. Why Megan and her husband chose to adopt a child with CdLS.

3. The daily realities of raising children who are nonverbal and immunocompromised.

4. How Megan maintains resilience while balancing motherhood and former nursing.

5. Why inclusion is more than a buzzword; it’s a basic human right.

6. The story behind Mason’s abuse and the creation of Mason’s Mission.

7. How small acts of kindness can transform someone’s day, and your own.

8. Why adversity can refine us, not define us, if we choose to grow from it.

Key Takeaways:

1. Love Is a Choice: Megan’s decision to adopt a child with CdLS reflects a profound commitment to love without limits.

2. Inclusion Is Action: Accessibility, whether a ramp, a changing table, or a kind word, should be a given and not a privilege.

3. Resilience Is Built in Community: Support from family, partners, and a village is essential in navigating challenges.

4. Turn Pain Into Purpose: Megan transformed her anger over Mason’s abuse into a mission to protect other families.

5. Small Acts Matter: Holding a door, making eye contact, or sending a meal can be a powerful act of service.

6. Your Story Is Yours to Write: Adversity doesn’t have to define you, but how you respond does.

7. Advocacy Starts with Empathy: Seeing the world through someone else’s experience is the first step toward change.

8. Joy Can Be Found in the Hardest Places: Even in struggle, there is space for love, laughter, and growth.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to the Positive Persistence Podcast

00:15 – Introducing Megan Dahl and her story of love and resilience

00:55 – What is Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CsLS)?

02:00 – The spectrum of CsLS: from mild to severe

02:50 – Megan’s two sons: one biological, one adopted

03:25 – The story of adopting Charlie

06:30 – The role of family and partnership in her journey

09:40 – Megan’s passion for inclusion and accessibility

11:15 – The real-world impact of rolling back DEI initiatives

12:20 – Challenges of accessing public spaces with a disability

17:05 – Mason’s experience with abuse by a home healthcare nurse

23:40 – The importance of in-home cameras for caregivers

29:20 – Learning from adversity and refusing to be a victim

32:10 – Dealing with blame, shame, and public judgment

33:00 – The power of therapy and mental health support

33:45 – One key takeaway: You write your own story

34:40 – How to support the CsLS Foundation

35:00 – Closing thoughts: Stay positive, persistent, and loving

Connect with Megan Dahl:

Website: https://linktr.ee/watchyourmouthsister

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meggdahl

Organization: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation https://www.cdls.org/

CONNECT WITH IAN BOWEN:

Website: https://watchmemindset.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianrbowen/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ianrbowen

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PositivePersistence-ch8fk

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