What does it mean to truly be heard when you can’t speak? Jessica Frew, a nonverbal actress, model, and passionate disability advocate, joins We’re Not Stumped to share her powerful story of living with cerebral palsy and using an eye gaze device to communicate—a technology she began using at just nine years old.
While Jess initially limited the device to school and close friends, she opens up about the emotional weight of using it publicly and the deeply personal regret of not speaking to her father through it before he passed away.
Over time, Jess found strength in her voice and now uses it to educate, advocate, and challenge misconceptions about nonverbal individuals. She speaks with host Mike Bolland about the common experience of being talked down to or ignored—and how she responds with patience, courage, and relentless advocacy.
Jess also talks about modeling with Runway of Dreams, pushing for more disability representation in fashion and entertainment, and fighting for real change in policy—from disability education in schools to raising income limits for Medicare. She introduces her book The Disabled, or the Nonverbal Princess and teases exciting upcoming projects, including a love story and a TV pilot about an inter-abled couple.
This is a story of voice beyond words, and of a woman determined to make sure others like her are seen, heard, and respected.
#DisabilityAdvocate #CerebralPalsyAwareness #NonverbalVoices #InclusionMatters #AdaptiveTechnology #RepresentationMatters #RunwayOfDreams #DisabilityRights #AuthenticRepresentation #WereNotStumped
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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. This conversation is about more than survival — it’s about finding purpose, shifting your mindset, and helping others rise after life’s greatest challenges.
In this powerful and reflective episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Terry Tucker, author of Four Truths and a Lie, for a deep conversation about mindset, mental toughness, and what it truly means to live a significant life. Terry shares the philosophy behind his latest book, which challenges common definitions of success rooted in money, status, and material achievement. Instead, he invites listeners to rethink success through the lens of service, responsibility, and impact on others. At the heart of his message is one foundational truth: if you don’t control your mind, it will control you.
In this eye-opening episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland speaks with Dr. Kevin Lee, a vascular and interventional radiologist at Georgia Endovascular, about why so many amputations don’t have to happen. Dr. Lee explains how misdiagnosed or untreated peripheral artery disease (PAD) is one of the leading causes of limb loss—especially among veterans, older adults, and people living with diabetes. He shares how minimally invasive endovascular procedures can restore blood flow, reduce pain, and help patients avoid amputation when disease is caught early.
