In this episode of the We’re Not Stumped podcast, host Mike Bolland sits down with Janne Kouri, entrepreneur, founder of NextStep, and co-founder of Lencaro Finnish Long Drink.
Janne shares the incredible story of how a spinal cord injury from a swimming accident in 2006 changed the course of his life. After spending two months in the ICU battling paralysis, pneumonia, and a 104-degree fever, he traveled more than 2,000 miles to receive groundbreaking activity-based rehabilitation that wasn’t covered by insurance—but changed everything.
That experience inspired him to create NextStep, a nonprofit rehabilitation center that helps people living with paralysis access advanced therapy long after traditional insurance benefits end.
In this inspiring conversation, you’ll learn:
His 3,100-mile power wheelchair journey from California to Washington, D.C.
How he balances leading a nonprofit with building Loncaro Finnish Long Drink (https://loncaro.com/)
His vision for the future of rehabilitation and recovery
Whether you’re living with paralysis, navigating rehabilitation, supporting a loved one, or simply looking for a story of resilience and purpose, this conversation offers hope, practical insight, and inspiration.
Learn more about NextStep: https://www.nextstepfitness.org
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In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike talks with John Cooper, a physical therapist assistant with 18 years of experience, about his journey into physical therapy and his passion for working with lower-limb amputees. John shares how his grandfather’s recovery from brain surgery sparked his career, and how close collaboration with prosthetists helps him address the real-world challenges amputees face every day. He explains why patience matters in rehab, why quality beats quantity in therapy sessions, and how setbacks can become powerful turning points.
Mike Bolland shares the story behind Enable Review — a new community-powered platform created to help people with limb loss, limb difference, and caregivers find prosthetic, orthotic, and rehabilitation care they can trust. After hearing powerful stories from guests and listeners, Mike explains why real patient experiences matter — and how Enable Review puts those voices front and center. Enable Review isn’t about ads or marketing. It’s about lived experience. If you’ve worked with a prosthetist, orthotist, physical therapist, or rehab clinic, we invite you to be part of our early community. https://enablereview.com/
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.
