Overview
âBart and Anneâs life was turned upside down when their son, Pascal, received a diagnosis of a rare genetic disorder at eight months old.
Hear what Bart has learned from Pascalâs journey, and where he finds hope in the face of constant uncertainty. â
Podcast
Connected and Loving: Raising a Son with Special Needs
28 Min.
Thursday, 28 May 2026
Messages of Hope Podcast
Bart and Anneâs life was turned upside down when their son, Pascal, received a diagnosis of a rare genetic disorder at eight months old. Hear what Bart has learned from Pascalâs journey, and where he finds hope in the face of constant uncertainty. â
Key Takeaways
- Raising a child with special needs forced Bartâs family to rethink what truly gives life value. Instead of measuring worth through achievement or productivity, they learned to prioritise connection, love, and presence with one another.
- The emotional journey of disability parenting is ongoing and layered with grief, fear, hope, and uncertainty. Bart describes how each new life stage brings fresh challenges, while ordinary moments can suddenly trigger deep emotions about the future.
- Strong relationships and support systems became essential to their familyâs resilience. Trusted doctors, understanding friends, church relationships, and giving each other âextra graceâ helped them navigate the intense demands of caring for Pascal.
- Pascalâs life challenged cultural assumptions about success and capability. Bart realised society often values people based on what they can accomplish, but disability revealed the deeper importance of compassion, vulnerability, and human connection.
- Hope came through small joys and learning to trust through uncertainty. Rather than needing all the answers, Bart found hope in everyday moments â like Pascalâs love of basketball â and in believing God provides strength for each season.
- Inclusive communities are built through patience, curiosity, and flexibility. Bart encourages people to ask thoughtful questions, avoid assumptions, and make space for families with disabilities to participate in ways that genuinely work for them.
Episode Transcript
Explore further
Booklets and Related Episodes
Each episode of our regular podcast is accompanied by free resources that provide hope, encouragement and advice for navigating the difficulties and challenges of daily life.
PRAYER REQUEST
Would you like us to pray for you?
We believe God is at work in all things, draws near in challenging circumstances, and loves each and every person fully and unconditionally.
If you would like us to pray for you or for someone you know, we encourage you to send us a prayer request. Our team would be happy to keep your situation in our prayers.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Support Services
Professional help is always available
Across Australia and New Zealand, God richly blesses us with counsellors, psychologists and medical professionals who are able to offer help, support and hope throughout lifeâs challenges.
If you have found the themes or topics contained within this episode challenging or confronting, we encourage you to reach out to one of the following professional support organisations.
Support Services
ABOUT MESSAGES OF HOPE
Messages of Hope is a podcast and radio based media ministry of Lutheran Media.
If you would like us to pray for you or for someone you know, we encourage you to send us a prayer request. Our team would be happy to keep your situation in our prayers.
Lutheran Media is a registered charity that exists to use digital, social and creative media to share the joyous Good News of Jesus, and the unconditional love God has for each and every person.
Our supporters provide 100% of the funding that allows us to share hope into the lives of others.