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 Stearns reading "We Release" by Mackenzie Lives. 

In memory of Mackenzie Lives.  Painter and Illustration Artist, former Landscape Architext.  Diagnosed at 21.  Stage I, Triple Positive.  Stage IV at 27.

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 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

Marissa Thomas was diagnosed at 35 with breast cancer.  Marissa works in healthcare administration, is a board member with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and cofounder of For the Breast of Us. In this episode Marissa reads her essay “Cristina” from the 2019 “Social” issue of Wildfire in which she was also our guest editor.  Her essay is about remembering and honoring her breast cancer friend who passed.  April and Marissa will discuss the why behind being a business owner and advocate in the breast cancer space, For the Breast of Us community for people of color, and philosophies on honoring the legacies of the ones we’ve lost in the community.  They will also talk about being 5+ years out from being diagnosed with cancer.  

This episode contains explicit language.

More about Marissa: https://www.instagram.com/marissadt28/

More about For The Breast of Us:

https://www.breastofus.com/

https://www.facebook.com/forthebreastofus/

https://twitter.com/thebreastofus/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIonyfojEBjFDslBhRaR-Q

More about Baddie 2 Baddie Breast Cancer podcast:  https://open.spotify.com/show/4itTTWHRbK4399bmDmY3ih

More about Living Beyond Breast Cancer: https://www.lbbc.org/

Check out the “Social” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-social19

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 Kim Harms reading her essay “When the Return on Your Dollar is Intangible.”  

Kim Harms.  Author of Life Reconstructed: Navigating the World of Mastectomies and Breast Reconstruction.  Diagnosed at 40.  DCIS, Stage I, ER+, PR+, Huxley, IA.

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 Kim: https://www.instagram.com/kimharmslifereconstructed/

Hear Kim’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

Thirteen years ago Dana Donofree was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27.  She is the founder of AnaOno Intimates, and the guest editor from our 2023 “Body” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  In this episode, Dana will read her guest editor's note from “Body” that features a chest inclusivity photo spread Dana curated for this issue.  Dana’s words are about one survivor’s tireless work in Cancerland to make all chests, all people, feel at home.  April and Dana will discuss the back story of how the chest inclusivity photo shoot came together, dissect what the term new normal means, and the importance of the ever evolving advocacy in Cancerland.  They will also discuss the story Dana wanted to tell on the walkway with AnaOno for New York Fashion Week.

More about Dana: https://www.instagram.com/daynadono/

More about AnaOno Intimates:

https://www.instagram.com/anaonointimates/

https://www.anaono.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anaonointimates

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVagmuzu5ulih-uuPy9aTeQ

Check out the “Body” issue here:https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/body23

Listen to another episode of The Burn with Dana: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8fd6bcec-e7a4-4137-b280-ff60c02cde5e

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 Vanessa D'Souza reading her essay “Bindis & Bangles, Onions & Shame-ectomies.”  

Vanessa D'Souza.  Pediatric Physiotherapist.  Diagnosed at 44.  Stage I, DCIS, ER+, PR+.  Calgary, AB.

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 Vanessa: https://www.instagram.com/vanessal.dsouza/

Hear Vanessa’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

Kellie Chouinard is a student, teacher, and researcher from Ontario, Canada.  She was diagnosed at 34 with Triple Negative breast cancer.  In this episode, Kellie reads her essay “Pressure, Pause” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Body” issue.  Kellie’s piece is about the complicated relationship we have with our bodies that extends into breast cancer - and the complicated pressures we experience to try to control our bodies. April and Kellie will discuss body image issues that came before cancer, the things that can cause brain fog beyond chemo, and having our pain dismissed by medical professionals.  They will also talk about Kellie’s work teaching photography and social media. Listen to the end to hear April share another great writing prompt inspired by this story.

More about Kellie: 

https://www.instagram.com/thelipreader/

https://thelipreader.wordpress.com/

Check out the “Body” issue here:https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/body23

If you loved this episode, you might also love “Cancer Breaks Us In Ways That Are Familiar with Madison Hager”: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1f857507-e12f-4c6c-a410-2e1da06499cb

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 Jessica Fox reading her essay “Paying Tolls.”  

Jessica Fox.  VP, Risk Management.  Diagnosed at 43.  DCIS, ER+, Hudson Valley, NY.

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 Jessica: https://www.instagram.com/mommajfox/

Hear Jessica’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

Vikki Pedigo was diagnosed at 41 with breast cancer.  She is a health coach and nurse practitioner from upstate New York.  In this episode, Vikki reads her essay “The Water Spirit” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Travel” issue.  Vikki writes about the time a much needed vacation became an unexpected spiritual retreat while exploring a lava fissure between tectonic plates after her cancer diagnosis.  April and Vikki discuss what connection looked like for Vikki and her husband after cancer, caretaker roles, actual living vs. surviving, and the reintegration of mind and body in the now after cancer.  They will also talk about finding expression when using metaphors in writing.

More about Vikki: https://www.instagram.com/breastcancerhangover/

Check out the “Travel” issue here:https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/travel23

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 Borah Lee reading her essay “A Beggar in a Red Beret.”  

Borah Lee.  Attorney.  Diagnosed at 37.  IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+, BRCA2+, multiple recurrences.  Durham, NC.

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 Borah: https://www.instagram.com/borahtravels/

Hear Borah’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

Lisa Cassenti was diagnosed at 43 with Stage II breast cancer.  She carries both the BRCA2 and BRIP1 gene mutations.  Lisa is a special educator, author, entrepreneur, and co-founder of The Breast Connection.  In this episode Lisa reads her essay “Intimacy Without Nipples” from the 2023 “Love & Intimacy” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  This is a piece about finding pleasure after cancer.  April and Lisa will discuss how Lisa arrived at the place of being able to share a vulnerable story, tips on starting to write your story, and how Lisa found her way back to sexual pleasure after cancer.  April and Lisa will also talk about Lisa’s work with The Breast Connection support community, and the importance of sharing stories.

Please note, this episode contains references to intimacy and sexual assault.

More about Lisa: https://www.lisacassenti.com 

Watch The Breast Connection Youtube video featuring April: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dYnEfpyPHHA

Check out the “Love & Intimacy” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/love23

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

If you liked this episode, you'll enjoy these as well:

“Dating After a Mastectomy” with Juni Bucher https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2f68419c-85ec-4ce0-8a11-3d9b903f431a

“Remember Who The F! You Are” with Dana Roske https://player.captivate.fm/episode/b1004f69-74a0-411b-9dd1-045e26ed6fdd

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: dhttps://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions