Nutrition is key to a child's development, but for some children with Down syndrome, feeding challenges make it difficult to get the nutrition they need. That’s where tube feeding comes in. Today, we’re chatting with Dr. Lauren Fiechtner, Director of Nutrition at Mass General for Children, to talk about the different types of feeding tubes, why they are sometimes necessary, and the unique feeding challenges that children with Down syndrome may face. We’re chatting about when tube feeding is typically used, the emotional and physical challenges parents may experience, and how feeding therapies and supportive resources can make a difference. We hope Dr. Fiechtner’s compassionate advice helps families feel empowered and reassured as they navigate tube feeding and nutrition.

- - - - -

SHOW NOTES

• Learn more about Feeding Matters

• Learn more about The Oley Foundation

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

• Check out episode 174 on The Down Syndrome Learning Profile

• Check out episode 181 with NDSS team member Dana Sciullo and her brother Anthony!

• Check out episode 262 with NDSS President Kandi Pickard celebrating their 45 years of advocacy!

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

• 47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP

• 191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Happy first week of November AND National Adoption Month! Today we’re thrilled to welcome Brady Murray, the passionate founder of RODS Heroes. Brady’s nonprofit has helped hundreds of children with Down syndrome find loving homes around the world. As a father of eleven—including two children with Down syndrome—Brady shares his personal journey with adoption, from being adopted himself to adopting seven of his children from around the globe. Hear the inspiring story behind how a triathlon became the seed for RODS Heroes, the miracles he’s witnessed along the way, and why he believes that when we invest in causes greater than ourselves, we experience incredible transformation. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

- - -

SHOW NOTES

• Learn more about RODS Heroes
• Follow RODS Heroes on Instagram and Facebook
• Follow Brad Murray on Instagram
• Follow Cooper Murray on Instagram
• NBC Nightly News story of Cooper Murray throwing out MLB first pitches

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

• 174. Learning About the Down Syndrome Learning Profile! (ft. Jessica Kuss from the National DS Society)
• 181. How has your sibling changed your life? (ft. Dana & Anthony Sciullo from the NDSS team)
• 262. 45 Years of Advocacy: A Conversation w/ NDSS President Kandi Pickard

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

• 115. How The ABLE Act Supports Your Child's Future (ft. Catherine Beck)

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

This month we’ve celebrated Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by award-winning photographer Hilary Gauld and advocate Kate Herron for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome Shift Narratives? In 2014, Hilary and Kate collaborated on a fundraising calendar featuring Kate's 10-month-old son, Caleb, for the Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society (WWDSS). What began as a local project quickly grew into a decade-long advocacy journey, evolving into an internationally recognized series that challenges stereotypes and represents the Down syndrome community in meaningful, thought-provoking ways. Hilary’s sharing how her friend Kate’s invitation sparked her dedication to authentically representing the Down syndrome community, the impact her work has had on families seeing themselves and their loved ones reflected in media, and the powerful role of storytelling in breaking down barriers. We’re also chatting about their documentary Decade, which celebrates the ten years of this incredible project, the impact the last ten years have had on their advocacy, what they hope for the future, and so much more! Friends, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

- - -

SHOW NOTES

• Follow One For The Wall on Instagram and Facebook

• Follow Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society on Instagram

• Learn more about Decade documentary

• Check out the ‘Here I Am’ series 

• People Magazine article about the series ‘Believe in Me’

• Check out all the incredible series from One For The Wall 

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

• 174. Learning About the Down Syndrome Learning Profile! (ft. Jessica Kuss from the National DS Society)

• 181. How has your sibling changed your life? (ft. Dana & Anthony Sciullo from the NDSS team)

• 262. 45 Years of Advocacy: A Conversation w/ NDSS President Kandi Pickard

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

• 47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP

• 191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! On today’s episode, we’re answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome find community & belonging? Today’s conversation is sparked by a recent blog post of Heather’s on why her daughter Macy didn’t attend homecoming this year, we’re chatting about what it truly means for someone with Down syndrome to feel a sense of belonging in school and their wider community. What can we all do to ensure inclusion happens? How can we help build bridges where isolation exists? From clubs and activities to real friendships, we’re chatting about inclusion, community, and what happens when we work together to make existing opportunities even better. Do we have all the answers…never! But we have hope having these tough conversations helps build and maintain those bridges toward community and belonging.

- - - -

SHOW NOTES

• Read Heather’s blog post Why My Daughter with Down Syndrome Won't be Going to Her Homecoming Dance

• Learn more about Best Buddies

• Listen to our episode with Val Schleider: 43. Back to School & All Things Best Buddies w/Val Schlieder & Allison Covell

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

• 115. How The ABLE Act Supports Your Child's Future (ft. Catherine Beck)

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

 This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Emily Kendall & Chad Mayer from EmpowerMe Living for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome live independently? Today, we’re talking about the incredible work of EmpowerMe Living, a program designed to support individuals with disabilities in choosing the best living arrangement for their unique needs. We're with EmpowerMe Living founder, Emily and Chad, who lives independently through the program, as they share their insights on independent versus supported living, overcoming challenges, and how EmpowerMe Living helps families navigate these important decisions. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

- - - -

SHOW NOTES

Check out EmpowerMe Living’s website to learn more about our:

• Incredible team 
• Microhome concept 
• First property in Cincinnati 
• Our Cincinnati Housing Market Analysis 

• First Place Global Leadership Institute –Check out their groundbreaking research on housing, including “A Place in the World” and their housing market analyses. Organizations can partner with First Place to conduct a housing market analysis in their community to collect and analyze data about housing needs and preferences directly from adults with I/DD and their families which can then be used to drive effective solutions.  

• Learn more about Beyond Down Syndrome – a wonderful resource for people with Down syndrome and their families focused on independence 

• Blog Emily wrote for this summer about trusting intuition advocating for her son with Down syndrome  

• Emily wanted us to share her son, Luke Kendall on the news! It has been awesome for Luke’s confidence and skill building, foundations for independence! 

• Learn more about Timothy M Freeman Center, MD, Center for Developmental Disabilities provides adults with I/DD interdisciplinary, patient-centered healthcare. It is one of the few centers in the country pioneering this approach within an academic healthcare system. 

• Learn more about Enable Special Needs Planning to create a plan that enables your child with disabilities to live a great life

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

• Learn more about the Adult Summit in Orange County and reserve your spot today!

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

• 47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP

• 191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

This month we’re celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month with episodes based on popular Google search topics! Today we’re joined by Erik & Emily Orton for this episode all about answering the question: Can a person with Down syndrome travel the world?  They’re sharing their incredible story of sailing the Caribbean, with their family of seven and how their daughter Lily, who has Down syndrome, has inspired them to break boundaries, live without limits, and travel the globe! We’re chatting about caregiver fatigue, challenging conventional ideas of therapies, parenting our kids with and without Down syndrome, and so much more. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

- - -

SHOW NOTES

• Follow Erik & Emily on Instagram
• Get your copy of Erik and Emily’s book Seven At Sea 
• Check out Erik & Emily’s Podcast and listen to their episode with Lily!
• Check out Erik & Emily’s YouTube channel
• Learn more about how to sail with Erik & Emily for a week!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

• 115. How The ABLE Act Supports Your Child's Future (ft. Catherine Beck)

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Friends, we’re coming to you with a BONUS episode this week. Over the years we’ve worked hard to provide you with topics that are helpful resources, to be sources of encouragement, and never shy away from difficult conversations. Today, we’re coming to you with a difficult, yet important conversation. This one is taken directly from comments by one of the Presidential candidates. We want to be clear we’re not endorsing either candidate but as a platform that promises to shout worth and work to shift narratives for people with Down syndrome each week, we feel this is an important conversation we need to have with all of you. We hope you’ll join us in this unfiltered and honest conversation.

- - -

SHOW NOTES

• No Pity: People With Disabilities Forging A New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph R. Shapiro
• Listen to Amy Julia Becker’s podcast Reimagining The Good Life
• Listen to Amy Julia Becker’s episode with Anthropologist Tom Pearson 

Articles about the comments:

• New York Times article
• Disability Scoop article

Some helpful links on this topic:

• National Center on Disability and Journalism Terms to Avoid When Talking About Disability
• Words Matter! Disability Language Etiquette by the National Education Association
• How Ableism Affects People With Disabilities
• National Institute of Health article: Implications of internalised ableism for the health and wellbeing of disabled young people

Previous Episodes Like This:

• 88. (Un)learning the Advocacy Language
• 172. Defining Ableism, Allyship & Advocacy + Redefining "Inclusion" - ft. Dr. Priya Lalvani

• 197. Exposing The Roots (Racism, Ableism, Microagressions, + More)
• 208. Growing Through Uncomfortable Conversations (w/Ashley - TLFP Producer & Self-Advocate)
• 217. The Things People Say
• 250. Who Has The Right To Use Down Syndrome Or Disability As A Punch Line?

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!! We’re celebrating this month with episodes based on popular Google search topics about people with Down syndrome. Today we’re kicking off the celebration with Alex Bolden and Genevieve Thompson from the National Down Syndrome Society as we answer one of the most searched questions: Can a person with Down syndrome vote? Alex shares his experience voting for the first time, tips for deciding who to vote for, and resources like NDSS's free checklist and values inventory to help voters prepare. We also discuss how parents and caregivers can support their loved ones in the voting process and the importance of using your voice to shape policies that impact the Down syndrome community. This is an episode you don’t want to miss as we head to the polls next month!

---

SHOW NOTES

Check Out NDSS Voting Resources:

• Downloadable checklist

• Downloadable Values and Beliefs Inventory

More Resources To Check Out:

• Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) GoVoter campaign 

• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) voting resources

• Voter Registration Deadlines for all states

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, Jack’s Basket for sponsoring this episode!

• EP 44 Shifting the Diagnosis Narrative w/Carissa Carroll from Jack's Basket

• EP 180 "You Make Me Better" (An Interview with Carissa Carroll, Founder of Jack's Basket)

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

• 47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP

• 191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

We’re a week away from the start of Down Syndrome Awareness Month! Today we’re kicking off our celebration early with a conversation about common misconceptions people still have about Down syndrome. We’ll be celebrating next month by talking to self-advocates, organizations, and parents who are breaking down the stereotypes of some of the most Googled misconceptions about Down syndrome. We’re sharing our thoughts on the CoorsDown PSA ‘Assume That I Can’ featuring Madison Tevlin and how campaigns like this work to shift narratives. We’re chatting about how knowing and loving a person with Down syndrome has shifted how we value and see worth, no matter what someone can or can’t do. Join us as we get this important conversation started!

- - - -

SHOW NOTES

• CoorDown’s PSA Assume That I Can PSA with Madison Tevlin

• Read Heather’s blog post What if my child with Down syndrome can’t?

• CoorDown’s Just The Two of Us PSA 

Other episodes like this:

• 163. What does success mean to you?

• 185. What if my child with Down syndrome can't?

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Thank you, National Down Syndrome Society for sponsoring this episode!

• Learn more about the NDSS Buddy Walk!

• Listen to Heather & Micha talk about their experience at last year’s NYC Buddy Walk on 225. NYC Buddy Walk Highlights

Thank you, Enable SNP for sponsoring this episode!

• 47. Planning for the Future w/Phillip Clark from Enable SNP

• 191. Future Planning for the WHOLE Family - ft. Phillip Clark, Enable SNP

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Today, we’re excited to chat with Amanda Owen, the founder and executive director of Puzzle Pieces! Amanda has dedicated her life to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities—a passion deeply rooted in her own family’s experiences. She’s sharing her experience growing up with a sibling with disabilities and how the dynamic has evolved as an adult that led to her journey of starting a non-profit. We’re chatting about having conversations around disability with our kids, how to cultivate meaningful and impactful friendships with people with disabilities, employment for adults with disabilities, group homes, and so much more! Friends, this episode is packed with incredible advice, stories, and even a few tears, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!

- - - -

SHOW NOTES

• Learn more about Puzzle Pieces
• Learn more about Amanda’s books
• Pre-order Amanda’s new book Rarely Different: A Sibling’s Memoir
• Learn more about Amanda’s story 

• Follow Amanda Owen on Instagram

Listen to last week’s episode on volunteering:

274. Are We Losing The True Meaning of Volunteering?

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

• 115. How The ABLE Act Supports Your Child's Future (ft. Catherine Beck)

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

Friends, you know we ask all the questions…even if we don’t have all the answers! Today, we're diving into a topic that hits close to home for many of us—volunteering. We're asking some tough questions: What happens when volunteering becomes more about extra credit or resume-building? How does this culture impact our efforts to shift harmful narratives? How can we make sure we teach our kids that volunteering isn’t just for show or awards? We’re chatting about how to make sure our volunteering efforts are intentional and meaningful, and our personal experiences that have made a meaningful impact. We know it's not about being the hero—it's about building bridges, we hope you’ll join us for this important conversation and share your thoughts and experiences with us! 

- - - -

SHOW NOTES

• Learn more about 99 Balloons.

• Learn more about Kids To Kids.

Other Episodes Like This:

• 28. Owning Your Influence In ALL Your Spaces!

• 43. Back to School & All Things Best Buddies w/Val Schlieder & Allison Covell

• 59. Finding Community at GiGi's Playhouse w/Nancy Gianni

• 151. Finding People That Don't Feel Sorry For You (ft. Jo Lopez)

• 169. The Harm in Using People with Disabilities As "Inspiration" in Clickbait Viral Videos

• 172. Defining Ableism, Allyship & Advocacy + Redefining "Inclusion" - ft. Dr. Priya Lalvani

• 208. Growing Through Uncomfortable Conversations (w/Ashley - TLFP Producer & Self-Advocate)

• 217. The Things People Say

• 221. A Letter To The Parents Of Our Kid's Peers

• 250. Who Has The Right To Use Down Syndrome Or Disability As A Punch Line?

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Join us in celebrating and supporting The Lucky Few Podcast! For just $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99 a month, you can help us continue shouting worth and shifting narratives for people with Down syndrome. Your support makes a difference in our ability to create meaningful content, enable us to cover production costs, and explore additional opportunities to expand our resources. Become an essential part of The Lucky Few movement today! 

DISCOUNT CODE

Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off !

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:

Thank you, ABLEnow for sponsoring this episode!

• 115. How The ABLE Act Supports Your Child's Future (ft. Catherine Beck)

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.