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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When Drew Ann Long, a stay-at-home mom from Birmingham, Alabama, discovered there were no shopping carts designed for her daughter Caroline — who has Rett syndrome and cannot walk or talk — she decided to create one herself. In this inspiring episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Drew Ann to discuss her journey from frustrated mom to inventor of Caroline’s Cart, an adaptive shopping cart now featured in over 15,000 stores across eight countries, including Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Lowe’s. Drew Ann opens up about overcoming rejection, financial struggles, and even a hacked social media page — all while pursuing her mission to bring dignity and inclusion to families with disabilities.
In this powerful episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Josh Green, an above-knee amputee, patient advocate, and founder of the Northeast Ohio Amputee Support Group. Josh lost his leg at just 4 years old and has since turned his life experiences into a mission to uplift and educate others in the limb loss community. Josh opens up about growing up with a prosthetic, how his parents’ positive outlook helped him build confidence, and how sports played a major role in his development. Later in life, he faced new challenges but found strength by connecting with other amputees and realizing the power of community. From overcoming early challenges to empowering others through advocacy and education, Josh Green’s story is one of resilience, leadership, and unwavering positivity.
In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland — born without his right hand — shares a powerful message about why he feels dressing well matters for the limb loss and disability community. This isn’t about vanity — it’s about confidence, self-respect, and advocacy. Mike explains how personal style can change the way we feel about ourselves and the way others see us. From challenging stereotypes to promoting positive representation, dressing with pride is one way to say: “I belong here — just as I am.” 🎙️ In this episode, Mike discusses: Why appearance and self-expression are empowering after limb loss or disability How dressing well helps break stereotypes and reshape public perception The connection between confidence, mental health, and advocacy How showing up with pride inspires others in the community 👕 Dressing well isn’t about perfection — it’s about showing pride in who you are. Because when we show up confidently, we make it easier for others to do the same.
