In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Risa August — cancer survivor, author, patient advocate, and TEDx speaker — to talk about transforming adversity into impact.
Risa shares her journey after being diagnosed with acromegaly, the life-altering treatments she endured, and how she rebuilt her life with courage, mindset, and purpose. From losing her identity to riding 1,845 miles from Canada to Mexico, Risa proves that resilience can create extraordinary new beginnings.
They also discuss:
• The long-term effects of cancer treatment and radiation
• Risa’s award-winning memoir “The Road Unpaved”
• Her TEDx talk “How a Single Word Can Rebuild Your Life”
• Her work as a Gestalt coach and patient advocate
Plus, Risa reveals exciting news about her memoir being adapted into a feature film set for production in 2027.
This conversation is about more than survival — it’s about finding purpose, shifting your mindset, and helping others rise after life’s greatest challenges.
🎙️ Subscribe for more stories of strength, disability empowerment, adaptive living, and thriving beyond adversity.
Risa August: https://www.risaaugust.com/
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
What happens when the limb loss community, prosthetics professionals, nonprofits, and supporters come together for a weekend built around giving back? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland talks with Rob Pittman of Hanger, Chairman of the Hanger Foundation’s Night to Inspire, about the upcoming 2026 Night to Inspire in Nashville, Tennessee. Now in its third year, Night to Inspire is expanding into a full weekend experience designed to raise funds, build awareness, and support organizations helping people with limb loss, limb difference, and mobility challenges.
When should a limb be saved—and when might amputation provide a better quality of life? On this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland talks with podiatric surgeon Dr. Danny Ghannoum about limb salvage, diabetic foot complications, Charcot neuroarthropathy, bone infections, and the difficult decisions that can lead to lower-limb amputation. Dr. Ghannoum explains how diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, poor circulation, foot ulcers, and osteomyelitis can put a limb at risk. He also shares complex patient cases that illustrate an important point: saving a limb isn't always the same as achieving the best outcome for the patient.
What are you actually allowed to ask someone with a service dog? Do service dogs need paperwork? And what happens when businesses get the rules wrong? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland talks with upper-limb amputee Stevia Walker about service animals, disability, prosthetics, self-advocacy, and life after limb loss. Stevia shares an encounter at a hotel where employees demanded documentation for her service dog and incorrectly assumed the dog was an emotional support animal. She discusses what people and businesses should understand about service animals and why these interactions matter.
