Wolf was born in Kirchheim unter Teck (near Stuttgart) in southern Germany. She was diagnosed with leg cancer in the left leg at the age of 10 and had her leg amputated at the age of 15 after five years of unsuccessful chemotherapy and numerous infections. After her amputation, she was informed about the Paralympic Games and visited Atlanta for the 1996 Games. In 1997, she started running with a prosthetic leg.