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 Madison Hager reading her essay “The Chocolate Chip Cookie That Broke the Camel's Back.”  Madison Hager.  Copywriter.  Diagnosed at 29.  IDC, Stage IIA, ER+, PR+, ATM.  Lincoln, NE.  

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

Hear Madison’s story followed by a conversation with April Stearns on The Burn: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1f857507-e12f-4c6c-a410-2e1da06499cb

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

Ashley LeQuesne is a stay at home mom and quilt designer who was diagnosed with Stave IV de novo breast cancer.  In this episode Ashley reads her essay “The Hate I Gave” from the 2023 “Five Years and Counting” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  It is about Ashley saying cancer is a part of her life, but it does not define her; in fact, it's been used as a teacher and guide.  April and Ashley will discuss living with metastatic breast cancer, realizing the story that needs to come out five years past diagnosis, changing internal dialogs, and fearing people’s reaction when you share your story.  They will also discuss grief tourism and toxic positivity, and resisting the urge to fix something when people just want to be heard.

More about Ashley: https://www.instagram.com/alequesne/

Purchase Wildfire Magazine’s “Five Years & Counting” issue: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/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 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

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

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 Wajda reading her essay “I Still Love You.”  Jessica Wajda.  Wellness Retreat Facilitator and Chef.  Diagnosed at 32.  IDC, Stage III.  Triple Negative.  Cerrillos, NM.  @jessicawajda

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/jessicawajda/

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

Tatiana Berger is a former attorney who was diagnosed with breast cancer twice. She is an aspiring writer and hopes to create healing retreats for cancer survivors.  She is a single mom, enjoys an active, outdoor lifestyle traveling back and forth between homes in Newport Beach and Hawaii.  In this episode Tatiana reads her piece “The Chrysalis” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Five Years & Counting” issue. It is a story about last straws, transformation and healing.  April and Tatiana will discuss first generation cycle breakers, unlearning mindsets that no longer serve us, body and spirit connection, and using journaling to work through trauma.  They will also discuss the unfolding of Tatiana’s healing experiences with EMDR, interesting coincidences, music, and metaphors.

This episode contains references to domestic violence.  If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential support and resources 24/7 at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can also visit their website: https://www.thehotline.org/

More about Tatiana:

https://www.instagram.com/tati_n_hawaii/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2543714

Tatiana’s The Chrysalis playlist: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/chrysalis/pl.u-LdbqEpjTpqzdy

Purchase Wildfire Magazine’s “Five Years & Counting” issue: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/mbc22

If you loved Tatiana’s story, you may also enjoy these past episodes of The Burn:

Words to Live By with Nikki Leigh McKean: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0c09c5e8-d311-4ecb-88bf-c714a5970659

What a Pen Name Can Unlock with Jenny Collins:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2e9011c7-6c09-48f1-b712-9c8f10cea72d

First Comes Cancer Then Comes Divorce with Beth Gainer: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/248e279f-1eb2-49c0-87b3-5a39d3fe32d5

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

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

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 Johnson Stearns reading her essay “How a Foob Saved the Day.”  April Johnson Stearns.  Editor and Founder of WILDFIRE Magazine.  Diagnosed at 35.  IDC, Stage III, HER2+.  Santa Cruz, CA.  @i_heart_my_life

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 April: https://www.instagram.com/i_heart_my_life/

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

Celebrate 100 with us!  In this one hour special episode, the tables are turned on host April Stearns – production assistant Monica Haro takes the mic & asks April all the questions. April reflects on the journey of The Burn podcast and its growth since 2020 to 100 episodes. The podcast emerged as an extension of the Wildfire Magazine's storytelling, aiming to bring stories to life through the voices of the writers themselves and allowing us to dig into the craft of memoir writing through the lens of breast cancer. Listeners have found value in the behind-the-scenes discussions and updates shared by the writers on The Burn - now we get to hear April’s takeaways on developing a podcast that goes beyond the surface level, exploring how individuals navigate life post-diagnosis and the lessons they learn along the way. April believes firmly that writing and sharing stories can be a transformative process, offering healing, self-discovery, and connection with others. In this special episode, Monica and April open up about their own survivorship, their friendship-turned-colleague-ship, the Wildfire stories that influenced their own journeys, and more! Sit back, relax, and enjoy learning some things about April, Wildfire, and The Burn that you maybe didn't know! 

This episode contains explicit language.

More about April: https://www.instagram.com/i_heart_my_life/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

Episodes of The Burn mentioned:

A Journalist Embedded in Cancerland with Aisha Chowdhry: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/644b21d6-eae3-44f3-b133-36b2732912b3

Dating After a Mastectomy with Juni Bucher:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2f68419c-85ec-4ce0-8a11-3d9b903f431a

Telling Your Story with a Slant with Elizabeth Reed:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c7791756-9b37-4380-8102-061c39efbe4c

More about Young Survivor Coalition: https://youngsurvival.org/

More about Bay Area Young Survivors: https://bayareayoungsurvivors.org/

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

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

Follow Wildfire Magazine on IG and FB:

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

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 Juni Bucher reading her essay “Can I See?.”  Juni Bucher.  Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.  Diagnosed at 41.  Stage I, IDC, ER+.  Portland, OR.  @junibwell

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 Juni: https://www.instagram.com/junibwell/

Hear Juni’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

This is our first episode of The Burn featuring a guided meditation with Justine Egan-Kunicki.  Justine is a breast cancer advocate, social psychologist, professor and yoga teacher diagnosed at 23.  Justine reads her poem “Finding My Breath After Cancer" that was featured on our Instagram in March 2023.  Her piece is about living with implants for 10 years and explanting to an aesthetic flat closure at 33 and reconnecting with her body.  Justine will also guide a meditation she wrote “Observing Your Breath with Loving-Kindness.”  April and Justine will discuss cultivating a richer path of healing after cancer, Justine’s journey to aesthetic flat closure, making decisions under pressure and survivorship.  They will also discuss writing meditations and tips on starting a meditation practice.

More about Justine: https://www.instagram.com/yogawithjus/Read Justine’s poem published on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsShn0Oatj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==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 loved this episode, check out “Slowing Down to Write One Moment” with Dawn Amodeo: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a082c76d-bd6e-4345-adc5-2b3ac29af98f

Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.orgLearn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshopsShop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free

Follow Wildfire Magazine on IG and FB:

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

https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity

https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/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 Meaghan Calcari Campbell reading her essay “Dear One.”  Meaghan Calcari Campbell.  Ocean Conservation Practitioner.  Diagnosed at 32.  IDC, Stage IIB, Triple Positive.  San Francisco, CA.  @calcarious

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 Meaghan: https://www.instagram.com/calcarious/

Hear Meaghan’s story followed by a conversation with April Stearns on The Burn: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/07b5270a-2a22-4a73-9abd-ca75b4ae9a75

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

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for the July 4th holiday. Production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from December 2021 to re-share. Enjoy!

Our guest today is Jessica Lynne who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43. After she was diagnosed, she learned certain thoughts and patterns no longer served her. She grew up with a strong family story of independence. An independence worn like armor to protect against life’s bumps and bangs. That is until one day she learned it was the one thing hurting her more than anything else. When she reached out for support during her treatment, she became amazed and grateful.  Today, Jessica is here to read her piece “I Was Alone Until Wasn’t” that appears in Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Community” issue. 

More about Jessica Lynne: https://www.instagram.com/mommajfox/

Purchase the “Community” issue here:  https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/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 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

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