Gillian Lichota was diagnosed at 35 and 40—first with Stage III and later with Stage IV breast cancer.  She is a mother, mountain climber, adventure travel enthusiast, and the Founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting young women through breast cancer. In this episode, Gillian reads her essay “An Open Letter to My Daughter, Layke” from the 2024 “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Journal.  Her piece is about the ways motherhood transforms us.  April and Gillian will discuss the healing found in witnessing your child’s life, leading your children with intention, the legacy offerings we want for our children,and modeling vulnerability.  They will also discuss Gillian’s careers from marine biologist to founder of a non-profit breast cancer organization. 

More about Gillian:

https://www.iriseabovefoundation.org/

https://www.instagram.com/irise_above

https://www.instagram.com/irise_above

https://www.facebook.com/iRiseAboveFoundation

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8r9NWe1TzJ77m2_zeeLtA

Purchase the “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Journal: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mothers24

Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

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Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Journal: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions