We're Not Stumped | Survival Stories, Disability Stories & Recovery Journeys Podcast

What kind of support truly makes a difference during limb loss or limb preservation?

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Laurie Gillman from the Limb Preservation Foundation to explore the programs helping individuals navigate some of life’s toughest moments.

Laurie shares how LPF provides financial assistance, emotional support through peer groups, and educational resources designed to help people focus on healing and recovery.

They also discuss the upcoming symposium, mental health initiatives, and the importance of community, caregiving, and celebrating small wins along the journey.

This is a powerful conversation about resilience, connection, and the resources that help people move forward.

Support Limb Preservation Foundation: https://limbpreservation.org/

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

 What do these leadership changes at the Amputee Coalition mean for the limb loss community? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland breaks down the latest updates, including the appointment of Dr. Carmen Elliott as President & CEO and the addition of new Board Members: 

Teri Kuffel 

Nicole Grehn, MSN, NP 

Dr. Cassandra Quave 

With backgrounds in healthcare, policy, research, and lived experience, this new leadership team brings a wide range of perspectives that could shape the future of care, advocacy, and support for people living with limb loss and limb difference. 

Mike shares his perspective on: 

Why leadership changes matter in the limb loss community 

The gap between patients and finding the right care 

How he feels this is a positive change 

💡 This episode also touches on the importance of better information and support when navigating prosthetic care—something Mike is working to improve through Enable Review. 

🔗 Learn More / Get Involved 

👉 Share your experience: https://enablereview.com 

👉 Listen to more episodes: https://werenotstumped.com 

🎧 About the Podcast We’re Not Stumped is a podcast dedicated to amplifying voices from the limb loss and disability communities—sharing real stories, real challenges, and real solutions. 

📢 Join the Conversation What do you want to see from the Amputee Coalition moving forward? Drop a comment below.

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What does dating look like after limb loss?

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Neomi Flores to talk about relationships, confidence, and navigating the dating world as an amputee.

Neomi shares her journey after losing her leg in 2022, including the emotional challenges, when to disclose limb loss to potential partners, and the impact of past relationships on moving forward.

This honest conversation explores self-perception, resilience, and the importance of choosing to truly live—not just exist.

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What does real support look like in the limb loss community?

In this solo episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland shares the missions behind Joe & Marie’s Helping Hands and Enable Review—a platform where amputees share real experiences about prosthetists and clinics to help others make more informed decisions.

Plus, Joe & Marie’s Helping Hands is currently seeking board members (Treasurer, Secretary, and Social Media Manager).

If you’ve been looking for a way to give back, this could be your opportunity.

Learn more about Joe & Marie’s Helping Hands: https://joeandmariehelpinghands.org/joe-and-maries-helping-hands-mission/

Explore Enable Review: https://enablereview.com/our-mission/ 

Send Mike a Message!

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What happens when you survive COVID… but wake up to a completely different life?

In this powerful episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Brianna Heitzman, a certified employment specialist with Down Syndrome of Louisville, whose life was forever changed after a severe battle with COVID-19.

After being placed on a ventilator and ECMO, Brianna faced an unimaginable outcome—the loss of her legs. But her story doesn’t end there.

This is a conversation about resilience, identity, and rebuilding a life with purpose.

Mike and Brianna dive into:
 • Her near-death experience and long road to recovery
 • The emotional and physical realities of limb loss
 • Learning to adapt and regain independence
 • Navigating prosthetics and ongoing challenges
 • The ERTL procedure and what it means for recovery
 • How her experience shaped her work helping others with employment and benefits
 • Her involvement with the Moving Forward Amputee Network

Brianna’s journey is raw, real, and deeply inspiring—a reminder that even after life-changing trauma, there is still a path forward.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more powerful stories from the limb loss and disability community.

Send Mike a Message!

Support the show

Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What happens when a limb loss story hits the news—and suddenly everyone you know is texting you about it?

If you’re part of the limb loss community, you know exactly what that feels like.

In this solo episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland dives into the experience of being “the limb loss friend”—the person people turn to when they don’t fully understand what they’re seeing, but want to connect.

This episode goes beyond the texts to explore what those moments reveal: the gap between public perception and the real, everyday experience of living with limb loss.

Mike discusses:
 • What it feels like when everyone sends you the same story
 • Why people reach out—and why it usually comes from a good place

💡 Mike also introduces Enable Review—a community-powered platform where amputees can share real, experience-based feedback about prosthetists, orthotists, and clinics.

Because when someone is new to limb loss, they shouldn’t have to rely on headlines or guesswork to make life-changing decisions—they should learn from people who have actually lived it.

👉 Learn more or share your experience: https://enablereview.com

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

 Stacy and Courtney Walker aren’t just teammates—they’re the only known mother-daughter duo in wheelchair power soccer… and they represent Arizona Heat Power Soccer. Now, they—and their team—are working toward competing at Power Soccer Nationals, and they need your help to get there. 

On this episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Stacy and Courtney to talk about their journey into adaptive sports, what it’s like competing side by side, and what being part of Arizona Heat Power Soccer means to them. 

💥 Support their journey to Nationals: 

👉 Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-disabled-athletes-with-your-support 

Your support helps cover travel, lodging, and competition costs—not just for Stacy and Courtney, but for athletes representing Arizona Heat Power Soccer on the national stage. 

🔥 About Arizona Heat Power Soccer Arizona Heat Power Soccer is more than a team—it’s a community of athletes proving every day that competition, teamwork, and determination have no limits. Through Arizona Disabled Sports, these athletes gain access to opportunities that build confidence, independence, and lifelong friendships. 

👉 Learn more: https://www.arizonadisabledsports.com/ 

🎙️ In this episode: 

• The only mother-daughter duo in power soccer 

• What it’s like competing for Arizona Heat 

• The journey to Power Soccer Nationals • How adaptive sports change lives • Why community support matters 

Send Mike a Message!

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What does it take to turn a life challenge into a lifelong passion for sports and coaching?

On this episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland talks with Marc Burkom, a double below-knee amputee born with fibular hemimelia who has built a life around athletics, coaching, and helping others reach their potential.

Marc shares how his parents made the difficult decision to amputate his feet when he was just two months old — a choice that allowed him to grow up active in sports like soccer, baseball, and basketball.

Today, Marc works in coaching education and advocates for expanding opportunities for adaptive and amputee athletes. In this conversation, Marc and Mike discuss growing up with prosthetics, the role sports played in building confidence, coaching amputee soccer, adaptive sports like amputee basketball, and how prosthetic technology has evolved over the years.

Marc also shares why amputee athletes should be treated as athletes first — not charity cases — and his vision for future prosthetic innovation.

Mike also introduces Enable Review, a platform where amputees can share honest experiences about prosthetists to help others navigating limb loss find better care.

This episode is a powerful conversation about resilience, sport, leadership, and redefining what’s possible.

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Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

Scott Martin returns to the We’re Not Stumped Podcast for a powerful follow-up conversation with host Mike Bolland.

Scott shares the story of the life-threatening illness he survived in 1993 that resulted in the amputation of his hands and feet, and the long journey of rebuilding his life afterward. From facing discrimination and depression to rediscovering confidence and purpose, Scott reflects on the emotional and physical challenges of life after limb loss.

Mike and Scott also discuss Scott’s journey with prosthetics — from initially resisting prosthetic hooks to eventually using myoelectric hands — along with the challenges of insurance approvals, repairs, and finding prosthetists who truly listen to their patients.

The conversation also highlights Scott’s upcoming book, Play From Your Heart, releasing June 9 through Simon & Schuster (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Play-From-Your-Heart/Scott-Martin/9798894410395). Inspired by his love of soccer and his experience coaching a team of 12-year-olds to a state championship, the book shares lessons about leadership, resilience, trust, and the power of playing — and living — from the heart.

Scott’s story is a powerful reminder that even after life-changing adversity, it’s possible to rebuild your life, rediscover purpose, and move forward with strength and determination.

Hosted by congenital amputee Mike Bolland, We’re Not Stumped shares real conversations with amputees, caregivers, prosthetists, and advocates working to support the limb loss and disability communities.

Send Mike a Message!

Support the show

Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/

What if the future of assistive technology is being built by the very people who need it most?

In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Owen, an entrepreneur living with muscular dystrophy who turned his lived experience into innovation. After struggling with limited rehabilitation tools, Owen co-founded a company developing a simple, home-based exoskeleton to make therapy more accessible.

They discuss universal design, customer discovery, and the challenges of building technology for underserved markets. Owen also shares insights into robotic wheelchairs, AI-powered mobility solutions, and a new partnership to advance independence for users.

A powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, and designing technology that truly changes lives.

Learn More

https://assistivetech.dev/

Send Mike a Message!

Support the show

Want to be considered as a guest?  Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/

Learn more about our host Mike Bolland: https://mikebolland.com/