In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Kim Ousley to share her powerful amputee story—from a synovial sarcoma diagnosis to limb loss, recovery, and becoming a leader in amputee support and advocacy.
Kim opens up about:
- Her cancer journey and decision to amputate
- The emotional and physical realities of limb loss
- The importance of peer support in the amputee community
- Her work with the Amputee Coalition and global amputee resources
- Aging as an amputee, including prosthetics, mobility, and long-term health
- Turning personal experience into advocacy, writing, and purpose
As a certified peer support visitor and advocate, Kim is helping others navigate life after amputation with honesty, resilience, and real-world insight.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in amputee life, disability, recovery after limb loss, and stories of overcoming adversity.
Kim’s website: https://kowriter66.wordpress.com/
Want to be considered as a guest? Fill out the form here: https://werenotstumped.com/podcast-guest-information/
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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.
In this deeply moving episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Scott Martin, a bilateral hand amputee, soccer coach, and author of the upcoming memoir Play From Your Heart. Scott opens up about the life-altering infection in 1993 that led to the loss of both hands and parts of his feet, and the emotional aftermath that followed. He speaks honestly about denial, detachment, and the five-year struggle with depression that tested his identity, confidence, and purpose.
What happens when lived experience meets entrepreneurship? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Owen Kent, an entrepreneur living with muscular dystrophy who is reshaping the future of assistive technology. After facing limited access to effective rehabilitation tools, Owen co-founded a company to develop a simple, home-based exoskeleton designed to make recovery more accessible. From customer discovery and design thinking to universal design principles, Owen shares how building technology for underserved communities requires more than innovation — it requires empathy.
