Host Mike Bolland welcomes Whitney Lavender — Miss Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, author, advocate, and host of the Wits Grit podcast — for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, and overcoming unimaginable challenges.
After a devastating fall led to a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Whitney faced years of severe pain, countless treatments, and ultimately bilateral leg amputations. Rather than allowing adversity to define her, she rebuilt her life and discovered a new purpose through advocacy, storytelling, and empowering others.
In this episode, Mike and Whitney discuss:
• Living with CRPS and chronic pain
• Whitney’s amputation journey and recovery
• Phantom pain and adapting to life with prosthetics
• Overcoming depression and rebuilding confidence
• The importance of support and community
• Adaptive sports and accessibility advocacy
• Whitney’s children’s book and podcast Wits Grit
• Her journey to becoming Miss Wheelchair Tennessee 2026
Whitney’s story is a powerful reminder that our greatest challenges can sometimes reveal strengths we never knew we had.
Whitney’s Website: https://www.whitneylavender.com/
Whit & Wheels: A Journey of Courage: https://www.amazon.com/Whit-Wheels-Journey-Whitney-Lavender/dp/1959955683
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Host Mike Bolland welcomes Whitney Lavender — Miss Wheelchair Tennessee 2026, author, advocate, and host of the Wits Grit podcast — for an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, and overcoming unimaginable challenges. After a devastating fall led to a diagnosis of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Whitney faced years of severe pain, countless treatments, and ultimately bilateral leg amputations. Rather than allowing adversity to define her, she rebuilt her life and discovered a new purpose through advocacy, storytelling, and empowering others. Whitney’s story is a powerful reminder that our greatest challenges can sometimes reveal strengths we never knew we had.
Ever since announcing his return to competitive bowling, Mike Bolland has been getting one question after another from friends, bowlers, podcast listeners, and people discovering his story for the first time. In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike answers the top three questions he keeps hearing: 🎳 How did he start bowling? 🎳 Why did he walk away from the sport? 🎳 Why is he coming back now at 61 years old? Mike shares the story behind becoming the first person with limb loss to compete on the PBA Tour, the life experiences that pulled him away from bowling, and how volunteering with Arizona Disabled Sports unexpectedly helped inspire his comeback journey toward the PBA60 World Championship.
What happens when you step back into something you once loved… years later? In this episode of the We’re Not Stumped podcast, Mike Bolland shares the story behind his bowling comeback — from being the first person with limb loss to compete on the PBA Tour to stepping back onto the lanes with a new purpose. But this isn’t just about bowling. It's about shedding light on the things that are important to him - this podcast, his nonprofit and Enable Review. It’s never too late to chase something meaningful.
