What does it take to turn a life challenge into a lifelong passion for sports and coaching?
On this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland talks with Marc Burkom, a double below-knee amputee born with fibular hemimelia who has built a life around athletics, coaching, and helping others reach their potential.
Marc shares how his parents made the difficult decision to amputate his feet when he was just two months old — a choice that allowed him to grow up active in sports like soccer, baseball, and basketball.
Today, Marc works in coaching education and advocates for expanding opportunities for adaptive and amputee athletes. In this conversation, Marc and Mike discuss growing up with prosthetics, the role sports played in building confidence, coaching amputee soccer, adaptive sports like amputee basketball, and how prosthetic technology has evolved over the years.
Marc also shares why amputee athletes should be treated as athletes first — not charity cases — and his vision for future prosthetic innovation.
Mike also introduces Enable Review, a platform where amputees can share honest experiences about prosthetists to help others navigating limb loss find better care.
This episode is a powerful conversation about resilience, sport, leadership, and redefining what’s possible.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
Dr. Christopher Duncan, Chief Medical Officer at Biologic Input Output Systems (BIOS), joins We’re Not Stumped with host Mike Bolland for a deep dive into neurotechnology and the future of prosthetics. With a background in rehabilitation medicine, Christopher explains how BIOS is combining advanced materials, neurophysiology, and machine learning to create prosthetic technology that restores natural movement and touch—far beyond what he calls today’s “Civil War technology.” The discussion also explores data registries, privacy concerns, and partnerships with leading institutions to expand access.
In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland sits down with Angela Calzone, President & CEO of Inroads to Opportunities, as the organization celebrates its 66th anniversary. With a bold goal to double the number of individuals served—from 400 to 800—over the next decade, Angela shares her passion for breaking down misconceptions about hiring people with disabilities and her mission to create lasting workforce inclusion. From her 35+ year career in the for-profit sector to leading one of the most impactful nonprofits in the disability community, Angela opens up about the challenges of funding, the critical need for employer partnerships, and the real business benefits of inclusive hiring. She also shares powerful success stories, the impact of Inroads’ vocational training programs, and why their largest-ever fundraiser was a milestone moment for the agency. Whether you’re an employer, advocate, or simply someone who believes in the value of diversity in the workplace, this episode will inspire you to see what’s possible when communities come together to create opportunities.
The Amputee Coalition is undergoing another major transition with the resignation of President & CEO Cass Isidro, who announced her last day will be August 22nd. In her farewell message, Isidro stated that her work had been about “restoring the Amputee Coalition to its original purpose with deeper community engagement.” That statement raises difficult questions: 👉 Why did the Coalition need to be “restored” in the first place? 👉 Has the organization lost focus on directly serving amputees? 👉 What does this leadership change mean for peer support, advocacy, and resources moving forward? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland dives into the resignation news, shares community concerns, and examines whether the Amputee Coalition is truly on track to support the limb loss and limb difference community—or if amputees should be worried about its direction. Listeners are invited to join the conversation as the podcast takes on tough questions about the Coalition’s mission, leadership, and future.
