From Nope to Hope

Beyond living life with a disability, the financial burden for an amputee can be extraordinary.

Prosthetic limbs range from $10,000 to $100,000, so without health insurance, coming up with this amount of money can seem inconceivable. There are hundreds of simple, daily tasks the average person takes for granted, such as walking up stairs, riding a bike, or simply walking across the room. An amputee knows that even with superhuman strength or years of practice, those tasks can still be impossible without the right prosthetic fit and function. The unfortunate reality is that many amputees often don't have health insurance and the financial coverage provided by insurance companies is often not enough to cover the high cost of prosthetic needs. That’s where Steps of Faith can help.

How We've Helped

Losing a limb can profoundly impact every aspect of someone's life.

2.3M

Americans live with limb loss

500

people in the U.S. lose a limb each day

individuals have an amputation each year

185K

OUR TEAM

Billy Brimblecom, Jr.

CEO

Billy understands first-hand the emotional and physical challenges that come with losing a limb. At 28 years of age, Billy lost his left leg to Ewing’s Sarcoma in 2005. As a life-long musician, this could have been devastating to his career. Still young and active, he needed a prosthesis that would give him mobility and allow him to continue to play the drums and live an active life. Thanks to a large fundraiser held for him by friends and family, he was able to raise more than $30,000 for his first prosthetic limb. This is why he truly understands the financial hardships that come with losing a limb. With his new prosthesis, Billy was back on tour playing the drums within just a few months of his surgery. While his love for music is strong, his passion to serve other amputees through Steps of Faith is even stronger. He wants every amputee to have mobility no matter how limited their resources are. Billy currently lives in Kansas City with his wife and two children.

Speaker Request

Jim Suptic

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Jim has spent the better part of the last twenty years touring the world as a musician with his bands The Get Up Kids and Blackpool Lights. It was in 2005 when Blackpool Light’s drummer and Steps of Faith CEO Billy Brimblecom was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, and Jim saw firsthand the astronomical costs associated with losing a limb. He also saw what a community can do when they come together to help. It was this experience that led Jim to wanting to work with Billy and continue to give back.

Jim has a Bachelor of Science in Geology Cum Laude from The University of Missouri – Kansas City. He is a lifelong resident of the Kansas City area where he lives with his wife and two daughters.

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Marci Theel

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Marci is a lifelong Kansas native and has spent most of her years in the Kansas City area. Before joining Steps of Faith in April of 2019, she had experience as a real estate agent, event coordinator and alumni director at her alma mater, MidAmerica Nazarene University. Marci is passionate about helping and serving others, and what better opportunity than helping the clients at Steps of Faith!

Marci resides in Overland Park, KS with her husband and two children. They enjoy attending their kids sporting events, exploring and traveling together, playing games and cheering on the Chiefs and Royals!

Tyson Berndt

BOARD PRESIDENT

Tyson is a proud Kansas City native who currently resides in the metro area with his wife and two young daughters. Over the past decade he has worked as a geologist, taking him from the volcanoes of the Pacific northwest to the oil fields of Texas. Prior to geology he worked in the residential remodeling industry where he enjoyed refurbishing and updating many unique homes in the Kansas City area.

While living in Montana he was introduced to Eagle Mount Bozeman, a non-profit program providing therapeutic recreational opportunities to people with special health conditions or disabilities. This program showed him the impact of volunteering, and how important it is to provide an environment of inclusivity to those that are often neglected or marginalized.

Tyson is a life-long friend of Steps of Faith Director Billy Brimblecom. In 2019, he was presented with an opportunity to join the Steps of Faith Board of Directors and eagerly jumped at the chance. “I am in awe of Billy and his team every day. They have helped create something so unique, so powerful, and so moving and I am grateful to be part of it.”