Dr. Carmen Elliott, the new President and CEO of the Amputee Coalition, joins Mike Bolland for a conversation about community, advocacy, and helping people with limb loss and limb difference find the support they need.
Carmen shares how her family’s experiences with healthcare access and limb loss shaped her commitment to this work. Together, they explore the value of peer support, access to prosthetics, and including families and caregivers in the conversation.
They also discuss support groups, certified peer visitors, AC Connect, and the upcoming 2027 “Fireside Connections” conference held in Las Vegas.
Throughout the conversation, Carmen emphasizes getting to know the whole person: their interests, relationships, goals, and the stories that extend beyond limb loss.
Learn more about the Amputee Coalition:
https://amputee-coalition.org
Connect with Mike Bolland:
https://mikebolland.com
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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.
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