$2,260
Raised of $1,000
Based on 230.2 miles each worth $9.82
Susan Stenman
Fundraiser Profile
230.2/120 miles
Participating in 28x28 Mobility Challenge
Jul 1-28, 2026
Member of So Every BODY Can Move California
I'm doing the 28x28 Mobility Challenge!
So Every BODY Can Move California:
I am serving as a co-captain for California in a movement grounded in a simple belief: Every Body deserves the ability to Move. Whether it is walking around the block, cycling through a neighborhood, or returning to sport, movement is essential to physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.
This cause is deeply personal to me. After stepping away from my career in 2021 to care for a sick parent, I returned to the field and was reminded of a painful contradiction: I teach people, including my own children, to care for their mind and body, yet in my professional role I was forced to tell patients that what is best for their health is considered a luxury. That did not sit right with me. When I found this movement, I knew I had to be part of it. Last year, our team, averaging 65 years old, came together to raise awareness and push for change, proving that people of all ages and abilities can unite for something bigger than themselves. This is about movement, dignity, safety, and the right to live fully. If you believe movement should never be a privilege, I invite you to support this effort.
In detail: Individuals in the limb loss and limb difference community are denied the prosthetic and orthotic care that makes this possible, with insurers labeling it “not medically necessary.” We are working to change that. Our coalition of clinicians, advocates, families, and community members is building momentum toward the 2027 California legislative session to secure clearer, more equitable coverage. While my work is happening in California, the this is a nationwide movement, with new laws passed in 15 states so far, we hope to reach 28 states by the 2028 Paralympic games held in LA!
Susan Stenman
1 day ago
Dear friends,
I want to start by simply saying thank you. Each of you, my incredible, generous friends and donors, keeps showing up for this movement, and I don't take that for granted.
You all know how passionate I am about the deficiencies in our health system for people with limb loss and limb difference. This month's 28x28 Challenge brought that passion into even sharper focus for me, in a way I want to share with you.
The first half of the month was full of joy: I danced, stretched, and played pickleball with my patients, and I met with our Assemblymember's office to help educate them on this movement. Then I traveled to Europe and Turkey with my family, and that half of the month gave me a very different perspective.
To pack light, I chose to bring just one pair of walking shoes, a good footbed, something that looked fine with skirts, and sturdy enough for long treks through cities and onto trains. I climbed hills, walked more than 14 miles in a single day palaces, gardens, and city streets, and even danced at a club with my kids, all in those same shoes. But as the trip went on, they got rattier and rattier. I started feeling self-conscious about how worn they looked. Washing them didn't do much. I'd clearly chosen the wrong pair, but I was also stubborn about making one pair of shoes work for an entire trip. I made it all the way to the second-to-last day before finally saying goodbye to them and buying a pair of sandals that would more easily take me to swim in the sea. I wish I'd taken a photo of them before I let them go, but honestly, I was just relieved to be rid of them.
Here's what stayed with me: what if that single, worn-out pair of shoes had been my only prosthesis, the one device I had to rely on for everything I did this month? Many people living with limb loss or limb difference could do everything I did on this trip. But doing so often comes at real cost to their bodies, subjecting their skin to tremendous shear forces. Some of those activities and that kind of travel really call for a different device suited to the task.
So I keep asking: why do we limit people this way, and put them at greater risk of skin damage? Why do we take something that already requires significantly more effort, and let it leave people feeling defeated or scaling back the very activities that keep them moving? We have the technology to do better. Your donations and support are helping us change healthcare laws here in California so we can finally change these outcomes for good.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for standing with me in this work.
With gratitude,
Susan
Susan Stenman
6 days ago
21.5
miles
$9.82
Per mile
$211.13
Earned
And here in California, when completing your challenge … watch out for earthquakes!
Susan Stenman
1 wk. ago
120.2
miles
$9.82
Per mile
$1,180.36
Earned
Climbing every mountain (or fortress 😉) with my daughter who is also moving for change … just 3 more days! Happy Anniversary of the ADA!
Susan Stenman
3 wk. ago
42.2
miles
$9.82
Per mile
$414.40
Earned
I have been running, dancing, stretching (with StretchLabs ... so great), and hiking my way towards my goal. I leave on a vacation to Europe at the end of this week and will meet up with my daughter who is also moving for change! So the next set of posts will be with her!
Susan Stenman
3 wk. ago
22.3
miles
$9.82
Per mile
$218.99
Earned
***Hey Team California***
7 days in and I Love all the kinds of movement people are doing! Today I was stretched by a flexologist! The kind of movement that prepared me to hike up our local trail with my dog after work. Making all my muscles work just a little better today.☺️
I just saw a post for leaders in the challenge! You might say,” I didn’t think this was a competition!”
But don’t let the friendliness fool you! Everything is a competition, 🤣! Just kidding, though these kind of things are tracked, we are so excited about all the people participating in the challenge and all the ways they are finding to support each other!
One metric we would like to see is for California to reach that $20,000 goal. It seems like a lot, but I really think we can do it! Sometimes those donors come in at the end of the month, so keep posting, keep talking about the movement, keep spreading the word!
We are One State! One Team, One Community of advocates coming together for change! Let’s go!
