2024 Gratitude Report: Spotlight on Meghan Kahn

This story appears in our 2024 Gratitude Report. Download the full report to learn more about our work.

When Meghan met her husband Jonathan through a mutual friend in college, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. But over time, a deep friendship formed — and quietly blossomed into something more. At first, they kept their relationship “under wraps” — their friends had always joked about not wanting them to date — but the connection became too strong to hide for long. 

More than a decade later and now living in Portland, Oregon, their bond remains unshakable. With ten-year-old Ari, seven-year-old Sloan (“She’s the boss of this house,” Jonathan remarks), and their young dog Poppy rounding out the family, Meghan and Jonathan prioritize laughter and shared adventure. “Family means being together, doing the things we love, and really enjoying each other’s company,” Meghan says. 

Everything changed on August 15, 2023, when Meghan was diagnosed with ALS at just 37 years old.

Meghan had always prioritized health and fitness. She learned to ski at just two years old and has always been an active runner. “One day on a run, I felt this tightness in my calves and I fell,” she recalls. At first, she thought it was a pinched nerve. Her mom and close friend Olivia pushed her to see a doctor. What followed was several appointments, including an EMG at a neurology clinic, that ended with the three words no one wants to hear: “You have ALS.” 

“I was in shock,” Meghan says. “Fear, mostly. I didn’t know anyone with ALS. It just didn’t seem possible.” She called Jonathan from the car. “I left work right away,” he says. “My first instinct was just to hold her. We hugged for a long time.” 

For a while, they held out hope that maybe it was a non-terminal disease, like MS. But an expedited MRI confirmed the diagnosis. Meghan had her first multidisciplinary ALS clinic visit with Susan Pennock, an ALS Northwest Care Services Coordinator. “She was fantastic,” Meghan says. “Like a ball of energy. It felt like a friend walked in.”

Meghan and Jonathan waited to tell the kids, wanting to find the right time and the right words. They found that moment at Ski ALS, an ALS Northwest event that blends Meghan’s love of the mountains with a cause now very close to her heart. Over 100 participants gather annually at Mt. Hood Meadows to raise funds for people living with ALS. Thanks to a partnership with Oregon Adaptive Sports, people with ALS also have the option to use sit-skis.

Their story and participation in Ski ALS inspired an outpouring of support. “I’ve never seen Meghan so happy,” Jonathan says. “It was worth it to see people step up to find a cure for this disease.” Meghan’s hometown newspaper in Park City shared her story and donations flooded in — not just from close friends and family, but from people Meghan hadn’t heard from in 20 years. “It was really special,” Jonathan says. “It brought her hometown to her, and we all felt that love.” 

Support from ALS Northwest has been a lifeline. From Meghan’s first clinic visit with Susan to books on how to talk to children about ALS, to home visits, “everyone at ALS Northwest has been absolutely amazing. They go above and beyond,” Meghan says. “It’s been astronomical. We couldn’t do this without them.” 

Before the diagnosis, Meghan defined happiness as downtime on her own — now, it’s being around her people. “I hope ALS becomes a livable disease,” she says. “So I can be here, with my family and friends, doing the things I love.”

To those who believe ALS is rare or distant, Meghan has a message: “It’s not just an old white man’s disease. It can affect anyone.” Jonathan adds: “We need to shout this from the rooftops. It takes relentless support and research to turn ALS into a livable disease. We don’t have time to slow down.” 

Today, Meghan remains active and determined to stay strong. But her days look different. She leans into the present, focusing on Ari’s love of baseball, Sloan’s bold leadership, and the entire family’s moments of shared joy. “I want to see these kids grow up,” Meghan says. “We’ve come so far. I just want to keep going.” 

Jonathan, once a constant planner and forward-thinker, has shifted his mindset. “I quit thinking about the future—it’s poison. You don’t want the fear of tomorrow to steal the joy of today.” Meghan agrees: “I’ve learned to say no to things that don’t matter and yes to time with people I love. That’s happiness now.”