The Burn

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, Igniting the Fire Within, we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!  

This episode features April Stearn's reading Cathy's essay “Unbreakable Bonds: Lifelines for a Lifetime.”  

In memory of Cathy Parker.  Real Estate Developer and Investor.  Diagnosed at 35.  IBC, Stage III, Triple Positive.  Crewe, VA.

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

More about Cathy: https://www.instagram.com/irockmyscars/

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected]

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for spring break.  Wildfire production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from February 2023 to reshare.  Enjoy!

Holly Taylor was a sergeant in the US Army National Guard, and then became a kindergarten teacher. She was diagnosed at 37 with stage IV breast cancer after earlier breast health concerns were dismissed. She is now a stay-at-home mom. In this episode Holly reads her stirring piece “I Want” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “MBC: Legacy Stories” issue where she expresses all her wants that she desires for her young daughter. April and Holly will talk about what it was like for Holly to write and read this essay to her daughter, getting your wishes out of your body through writing, and how Holly keeps a memory legacy box for her daughter while living with metastatic disease. They will also discuss teaching breast health and self-advocacy to your children.

More about Holly: https://www.instagram.com/crazycurlyholly/

Purchase the “MBC: Legacy Stories” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mbc22

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

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, Igniting the Fire Within, we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!  

This episode features Vesna Zic-Côté reading her essay “SOS.”  

Vesna Zic-Côté.  Registered Nurse (retired class).  Diagnosed at 38.  IDC, Stage II.  Diagnosed at 42.  Stage IV, ER+, PR+.  Ottowa, ON.

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

More about Vesna: https://www.instagram.com/vesna.mbc.lens/

Hear Vesna’s story followed by a conversation with April Stearns on The Burn: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c1f13865-3266-4e45-a5f3-bf6fef4e489e

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected]

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

Carrie Kreiswirth was diagnosed at 36 with triple negative breast cancer.  Carrie helps encourage and empower others who have been on a similar cancer journey to her own. In this episode Carrie reads her essay “Ready for Love” from the 2019 “Love & Intimacy” issue of Wildfire. Carrie’s story is not only about dating after cancer, but the sucker punches that come out of nowhere in long term survivorship.  April and Carrie will talk about what it was like for Carrie to revisit this piece written 5 years prior, the challenges of being vulnerable with intimacy, and advice for those feeling closed off. They will also discuss Carrie’s reflections on motherhood and fertility, and what is coming up for her emotionally around that now.  April and Carrie will share the why behind finding your place in the breast cancer community as a long term survivor.

Connect with Carrie:  https://www.instagram.com/ckreiswirth/

Purchase the “Love & Intimacy” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-love19

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

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, Igniting the Fire Within, we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!  

This episode features April Stearn’s reading Kara’s essay “Fighting Pretty Again.”  

Kara Frazier.  Founder of Fighting Pretty, Marketing at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.  Diagnosed at 26.  Stage III, ER+, HER2+.  Portland, OR.

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

More about Kara: https://www.instagram.com/mrskarafrazier/

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected]

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

Wang Shein in a program manager, advocate and serves on the advisory committee for the Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic at MD Anderson. In this episode Wang reads his essay “Let the Mirror Shatter” from the the 2023 “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue of Wildfire. Wang’s piece is a caretaker’s view of living life with no regrets alongside his metastatic thriver wife Janice Choe’s cancer diagnosis for 10 years.  Janice was diagnosed at 33, and Wang was a wingmate to his best friend and partner since high school for 25 years until her passing in May 2022.  April and Wang will talk about what it was like writing about losing his wife not long after she passed, turning wounds into scars, and his loving advice for patients from the caretaker perspective.  They will also discuss Wang’s decision to stay working in Cancer Land, and finding glimmers in life.  

More about Wang:

https://www.instagram.com/tshein/

https://linktr.ee/wangshein

https://unicorncancerthrivers.org/

Purchase the “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue here: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-mbc23

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

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, Igniting the Fire Within, we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!  

This episode features April Stearns reading Christi’s essay “Privilege.”  

Christi Salcedo.  BSN, RN.  Diagnosed at 30.  IDC, Stage IIb, ER+.  Sacramento, CA.

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

More about Christi: https://www.instagram.com/christileeoleary/

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected]

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

This episode is a tropical postcard coming from our guest Tara Coyote who recorded with us from her yurt in Hawaii.  The soothing cacophony of sounds surrounding her island space compliment the reading of her essay “Mermaid” from the 2023 “Travel & Adventure” issue of Wildfire.  It’s a piece about finding a mermaid life and living large while living with metastatic breast cancer.  Tara was diagnosed at 46 with cancer.  She is the founder of  Wind Horse Sanctuary, an author and a dancer.  April and Tara will discuss Tara’s decision to go to mermaid school, finding joy to live fully, and Tara’s philosophy to live large and push out of comfort zones.  They will also talk about the physical and emotional medicine of being in water.  Tara will also share what she learned about herself on a trip to swim with whales, as well as her future live large adventure plans.  

More about Tara:

https://www.instagram.com/taracoyote/

https://www.instagram.com/the.kauai.mermaid/

http://www.taracoyote.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/TaraCoyote

https://www.windhorsesanctuary.com/

Purchase the “Travel & Adventure” issue and other past issues Tara’s writing has been published in here:

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/travel23

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/identity22

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-cm21

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/community21

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

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, Igniting the Fire Within, we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!  

This episode features Diana Mae Vega reading her essay “I Call Her Mother.”  

Diana Mae Vega.  RN, BSN, PCCN.  Diagnosed at 29.  Stage II, Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma, ER+.  Orange, California.

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

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

Hear Diana’s story followed by a conversation with April Stearns on The Burn: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2f68419c-85ec-4ce0-8a11-3d9b903f431a

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected]

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine:

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

Tasha Carlson is physician who was diagnosed at 40 with DCIS at her very first mammogram. In this episode Tasha reads her essay “Learning from Regrets” from the 2023 “Body” issue of Wildfire. Tasha’s story is about going from physician to patient and the incredible pressure to make decisions quickly in cancer treatment that you could be living with – hopefully living with – for a very long time. April will ask Tasha about coming to a place where she felt like she could give herself permission for more research, additional opinions, and finding a soft landing spot of community.  April and Tasha will also discuss the changes for the better that have happened after cancer and cancer’s influence on Tasha’s career.  

Connect with Tasha via email: [email protected]

Learn more about Young Survival Coalition: https://youngsurvival.org/

Purchase the “Body” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-body23

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

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter

Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops

Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop

*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

More about Wildfire Magazine: 

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org

https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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