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.
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Mike Bolland sits down with Latisha Judkins, who shares her harrowing yet uplifting story of resilience. After losing her right leg below the knee to a flesh-eating bacteria, Latisha faced incredible challenges but emerged stronger than ever. Tune in to hear how she overcame physical and emotional hurdles, found support, and rebuilt her life with determination and hope. Latisha’s story is a testament to the human spirit’s power to thrive in adversity.
In this episode of We're Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland highlights three powerful stories from the limb loss community: A quadruple amputee's breathtaking skydive to celebrate his 65th birthday, showcasing resilience and courage. A nurse adjusting to life after a foot amputation caused by a bacterial infection, sharing his journey toward recovery and prosthetics. The mission of the Uniquely Me Foundation, empowering individuals with limb differences to embrace their uniqueness.
Mike Bolland sits down with Jeanette Jones, a childhood cancer survivor who shares her remarkable story. Diagnosed with cancer as a child, Jeanette faced years of treatment in an effort to save her left leg. At age 16, she underwent a hip disarticulation — a complex amputation that removes the entire leg, including the femur, from the pelvis. Jeanette's resilience and determination in the face of these challenges will leave you inspired. Tune in for her powerful insights on adapting to life after amputation and thriving beyond adversity.
