Since the age of three, Kara Skrubis has practiced ballet. Throughout her youth, she traveled the nation, showcasing her ballet prowess. Alongside her performances, she commenced teaching ballet and started her studies as a dance major at University at Buffalo.
However, her trajectory took an unforeseen twist during her inaugural semester at UB. In October 2019, Skrubis awoke to excruciating pain in her left knee, soon accompanied by a concerning “warm lump.” Despite a visit to a local urgent care facility, the ailment remained undiagnosed. It wasn’t until three months later, under the care of an orthopedic specialist, that a tumor was discovered in her left tibia.
At 18 years old, Skrubis received the diagnosis of osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer predominantly affecting teenagers and young adults. While receiving treatment, Skrubis was compelled to take a time off from her studies for a year. Her journey started with chemotherapy in February 2020, followed by the amputation of her left leg in April 2020 to eradicate the cancer. Subsequently, she underwent immunotherapy until June 2021, concluding her treatment regimen with chemotherapy in September 2021.
During her stay in the hospital, Skrubis says her mother, Lisa, 54, found and connected with MIB Agents, a pediatric osteosarcoma nonprofit that provides resources, information and support to patients and families.
Skrubis still practices ballet, but she changed her majors from dance and psychology to psychology and health and human sciences so she can work with other youth diagnosed with cancer.
Links:
MIB Agents: https://www.mibagents.org
People Magazine Article: https://people.com/health/kara-skrubis-talks-continuing-ballet-following-bone-cancer-leg-amputation-i-never-gave-up/
#amputee #amputeelife #amputeestrong #prosthetics #prostheticleg #amputeegirl #amplife #amputation #limbloss #amputees #adaptiveathlete #amputeefitness #prosthetic #motivation #prosthesis #adaptive #oneleg #amputados #amputeewoman #inspiration #osteosarcoma #cancer #sarcoma #bonecancer #cancersucks #childhoodcancer #cancersurvivor #osteosarcomaawareness #childhoodcancerawareness #cancerawareness #cancerfighter #pediatriccancer #bonetumor
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
What does it take to overcome a challenge you've faced since birth? In this episode of We're Not Stumped, Mike Bolland welcomes Nathan Winston, who was born with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD), a rare limb difference that led to the amputation of his left leg at the age of four. Nathan shares his incredible journey from adapting to life with a prosthetic to excelling in football, basketball, and baseball. His determination eventually carried him to the Little League World Series and into the ranks of professional baseball. Along the way, Nathan reflects on the challenges he faced, the resilience he developed, and the mindset that helped him keep moving forward—even when the path wasn't easy.
What does it really take to produce a podcast? In this special solo episode of We're Not Stumped, I'm taking you behind the scenes to share how the podcast started, what happens before and after every interview, and the lessons I've learned from producing more than 200 episodes. I'll talk about: Why I decided to start the podcast My recording setup and workflow Editing What I'd do differently if I were starting today Advice for anyone thinking about launching their own podcast Whether you're interested in podcasting, storytelling, or simply curious about what goes into creating We're Not Stumped, I hope this episode gives you a new perspective—and maybe the confidence to start your own show.
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.
Leave A Comment