Lera Doederlein joins Mike Bolland on We’re Not Stumped to share a powerful story of choosing possibility.
Born with AMC (arthrogryposis multiplex congenita), Lera grew up in Phoenix using braces and forearm crutches while navigating school, friendships, and the quiet realization that sports might look different for her. As a teenager, she made the bold decision to pursue double above-knee amputations in order to gain independence and improve long-term mobility—and it transformed her life.
Lera walks us through the realities of recovery and physical therapy, learning to use prosthetics, and the moment a clinician pushed her beyond her comfort zone—encouraging her to run just a week after she started walking. She also shares why community matters so much, from Camp No Limits to Hanger events and amputee boot camps that helped her build confidence and momentum.
Then the conversation shifts to sports: how a chance introduction at a clinic led her to fall in love with sled hockey, earning a grant for her first custom sled, joining the U.S. Women’s National Sled Team in 2019, and ultimately competing in the 2022 Beijing Paralympics in Nordic skiing.
If you’re early in your limb-difference or limb-loss journey—or you just need a reminder to try the thing that scares you—this episode will leave you inspired.
Learn more about Camp No Limits: https://www.nolimitsfoundation.org/
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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 “Fireside Connections” conference.
How do you move forward when vision loss changes your career, independence, and plans for the future? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland speaks with Jennifer Frederick about living with permanent vision loss and learning to advocate for herself along the way. Jennifer explains how changes in her vision eventually forced her to leave a career in crisis management. She also discusses the challenges she now faces while looking for work, including interview practices that have left her questioning whether she is being treated fairly as a person with a disability. The conversation explores Jenn’s decision not to undergo surgery for her detached retinas, the importance of seeking medical attention when your vision changes, and the need to take ownership of your healthcare.
What happens when we stop deciding what someone is capable of—and give them the opportunity to lead? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland speaks with Nathan Kennedy of Upstream Fitness, Chris Kocurek, and Chris’s son, Coach Cameron “Coach Cam” Kocurek. Cameron, who has Down syndrome, began gymnastics as a child and went on to compete through Special Olympics and unified gymnastics. Today, he is using the confidence and skills he developed as an athlete to help coach others at Upstream Fitness. Nathan explains how Upstream Fitness uses movement, games, coaching cards, and step-by-step instruction to make exercise accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chris shares Cameron’s journey from athlete to assistant PE coach—and now toward meaningful employment and greater independence.
