What happens when you begin losing your vision as a child—and refuse to let it define your future?
In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Kathy Nimmer, recipient of the prestigious Helen Keller Achievement Award, author, speaker, and retired high school English teacher who spent nearly three decades educating and inspiring students while living with blindness.
Kathy shares her remarkable journey of progressive vision loss caused by a rare retinal degenerative disease, the challenges she faced along the way, and the resilience that helped her build a life filled with purpose, achievement, and impact.
In this episode, Kathy discusses:
- Growing up with gradual vision loss and adapting to change
- Teaching high school English for nearly 30 years as a blind educator
- Overcoming depression, anorexia, and uncertainty about the future
- The role of advocacy, family support, and disability representation
- Pursuing mountain climbing, writing, public speaking, and teaching
- Employment challenges facing people who are blind or visually impaired
- Practical advice for families navigating vision loss and disability
Kathy also shares insights from her latest book, Two Plus Four Equals One, an anthology celebrating the unique bond between people with disabilities and their assistance dogs.
This powerful conversation is a reminder that while circumstances may change, purpose, passion, and perseverance can help us achieve far more than we ever imagined.
Learn more about Kathy at KathyNimmer.com.
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In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland introduces the first part of his personal “Triple A’s” philosophy: Alone, Advocacy, and Attitude. Today’s focus is on that first word—Alone—a stage that many people experience after limb loss but rarely talk about openly. Mike, a congenital amputee and cancer survivor, shares what it means to feel alone physically, emotionally, and socially after amputation—and why that feeling doesn’t have to last forever. He explores practical, real-world solutions that help amputees take their first steps toward healing, including: The power of peer support and community How therapy and mental health resources can help Adaptive sports and creative outlets to rediscover purpose Navigating prosthetics, rehab, and daily independence Rebuilding identity and reclaiming confidence Whether you’re newly navigating limb loss or supporting someone who is, this episode is a reminder that you’re never truly alone. Hope, connection, and healing are all within reach.
What happens when childhood curiosity, global service, and cutting-edge tech come together? You get a conversation like this one. In the latest episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Chris Baschuk—Director of Clinical Services at Point Designs, board member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, and a passionate ambassador for the POP initiative (Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics). Chris is not just shaping the future of upper limb prosthetics—he’s building it, one 3D-printed component at a time. From tinkering with tools in his youth to being inspired by mission work in Brazil, Chris’s journey into biomedical engineering and prosthetics is as meaningful as it is innovative. In this wide-ranging interview, he and Mike dive deep into the latest advances in prosthetic care—particularly for partial hand amputees—and how additive manufacturing is unlocking new levels of function, customization, and durability.
In this powerful episode, We’re Not Stumped host Mike Bolland introduces his personal “Triple A” philosophy—Alone, Advocacy, and Attitude—designed to support fellow amputees on their physical and emotional journey. Mike, who was born without a right hand and is a cancer survivor, explains how feeling alone is often the first stage after limb loss—but it doesn't have to be the final one. Through advocacy, both for yourself and others, and a resilient attitude, amputees can reclaim purpose, confidence, and joy. Whether you're newly navigating life after limb loss or supporting someone who is, Mike’s Triple A approach offers insight, comfort, and strength.
