Diana Vega was diagnosed at 29 with a type of breast cancer called Pleomorphic sarcoma, Stage IIb.  She is a nurse, photographer, floral designer, writer, dancer, singer, songwriter, traveler, and ultimately she is an explorer of possibilities. In this episode Diana reads her essay “I Call Her Mother” from Wildfire Magazine's 2018 “The Caregivers” issue. Her story is also included in the Wildfire book  Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community.  This is a story about finding a chosen mother figure that steps up to support and give care when cancer comes.  April and Diana will talk about what Diana’s relationship with her chosen mom looks like today, going from being a nurse to becoming the patient, and quality vs. quantity of living a joyful life.  Diana has been a Wildfire cover model two times and will share about learning to love her body through visible advocacy.  April and Diana will also discuss the survivor’s guilt that comes with long term survivorship and how Diana is channeling that guilt in her life now.

More about Diana: https://www.instagram.com/dystopiadiana/

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

Check out “The Caregivers” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-caregivers

Read another essay by Diana in the “Money” issue: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/money22

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