This week we’re sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a pause from our regular podcast schedule to enjoy a spring break with our loved one.  Production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from January 2022 to reshare.  Enjoy!

Sondra Price was diagnosed at 20, 24, and 28 with malignant phyllodes tumors that led to two lumpectomies, a bilateral mastectomy, implant reconstruction, and an explant to flat closure. She found her way to flat closure on her chest the long way around, and because of that, she’s now a fierce advocate for others to truly know what their breast surgery options are. Because the truth is, if you don’t know your options, you don’t really have any. In this episode, Sondra reads her piece “The Road to Advocacy” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2020 “Changemakers” issue.

More about Sondra: https://www.instagram.com/sondrarprice/

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

Emily Voreas was diagnosed at 33 with Stage IIIb breast cancer, and also carries the BRCA2 gene.  Emily has a Masters in Elementary Education and  currently works as a reading interventionist.  In this episode she reads her poem “Where does the story end?” from the 2024 “Family” issue of Wildfire Journal.  Her poem is about four generations of women and cancer. April and Emily will discuss family cancer legacies, fertility, aesthetic flat closure, and the evolving advocacy in each generation of breast cancer. 

More about Emily: https://www.instagram.com/flatnfierce/

Purchase the “Family” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/family24

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

In this episode you are going to hear a collection of short pieces we are dubbing “Flash Memoir” from our archives.  These are little gems we’ve published in Wildfire Magazine, read for you by April Stearns.  We have 9 years of published stories in our archives that are just too good not to share. In the past we used to do a call for submissions for short form stories with a very specific prompt in mind.  We would get back some very impactful bite-size vignettes - not long enough to be a full essay. This collection of dense & sparkling flash memoir pieces comes from our 2020 “Survivorship” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  The writing prompt was “Dear Pre-Cancer Me” with pieces written by Mackenzie Rockcastle, Tiffany Dyba, Kristie Vinopoll and Julie Gauvin. 

  Purchase the “Survivorship” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-survivorship20

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

Chelsee Wilson was diagnosed at 29 with Stage IIIa, Triple Positive breast cancer. She is now 5+ years out from diagnosis.  Chelsee lives in Oklahoma with her husband and loves baking, crocheting, reading and writing.  In this episode she reads her essay “The Power of No” from the 2022 “Identity & Aftermath” issue of Wildfire Magazine. Her story is about one woman’s quest to break cycles.  April and Chelsee will discuss protecting mental health, mental health outlets, quality of life and the biggest challenges of long-term survivorship.  They will also discuss what books they are reading.

More about Chelsee: https://www.instagram.com/chelseelior/

This episode was brought to you in collaboration with After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD):

https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/

https://www.instagram.com/abcdafterbreastcancerdiagnosis/

https://www.facebook.com/ABCDAfterBreastCancerDiagnosis/?ref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY4VHSTPyU1IYyT1fNesmAg

Purchase the “Identity & Aftermath” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-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

Bethany Adair was diagnosed at 34 with Stage II breast cancer, and is now living with Stage IV metastatic disease.  She is a mindset coach, speaker, MBC thriver and author of My Guru Cancer.  In this episode, Bethany reads her piece “A Letter to My Greatest Guru” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “MBC: Lesson Learned” issue.  Her essay is about viewing a cancer experience as an opportunity to grow into an authentic version of yourself.  April and Bethany will talk about how Bethany became a writer, reframing thoughts and the ongoing practice of living alongside cancer. 

More about Bethany: 

https://www.instagram.com/mygurucancer/?hl=en

https://bethanywebb.com/mygurucancer/blog-my-guru-cancer/

This episode was brought to you in collaboration with After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD):

https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/

https://www.instagram.com/abcdafterbreastcancerdiagnosis/

https://www.facebook.com/ABCDAfterBreastCancerDiagnosis/?ref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY4VHSTPyU1IYyT1fNesmAg

Purchase the “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mbc23

If you liked this episode, you might like “A Guest Room for MBC with Erin Weiss”: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/82d235ba-6267-410c-ab29-c0abbc9bde27/

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

Meaghan Calcari Campbell returns to The Burn for another episode.  Meaghan was diagnosed at 32 with Stage II, Triple Positive breast cancer in 2012. And then again in 2015 with DCIS and the ATM+ gene.  Meaghan works in philanthropy and ocean conservation, and is a proud member of the Bay Area Young Survivors. Meaghan’s writing has been published in the four Bay Area Young Survivors anthologies, Wildfire Magazine, The Isolation Journals, and Lake: Diving Deep (The Pandemic Issue). She continues squeezing all that she can out of this one wild and precious life with her husband and post-cancer miracle daughter.  Meaghan reads her story “How is Your Body Today?” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. Her essay is about an innocent chance question posed by a stranger who had no idea about Meaghan’s cancer diagnosis.  April and Meaghan will discuss what collecting means when it comes to cancer, taking control of your cancer narrative, aging and experiencing cancer a second time around.

More about Meaghan:  

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

https://keepingabreast.me/

This episode was brought to you in collaboration with Cancer Free Haven.

https://www.instagram.com/cancer.free.haven/

https://cancerfreehaven.com/

Purchase the “Body” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-body24

If you liked this episode, you might like “When Cancer Clarifies with Meaghan Calcari Campbell”: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/82d0ac2c-0dbc-42b3-b8a1-16efaa3e7b56/

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

Jen Pogue returns to The Burn for another episode.  Jen is an actor and producer living in Toronto, Canada.  She was diagnosed at 37 with de novo Stage IV Triple Negative metastatic breast cancer. Jen reads her story “Revenge” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “MBC: Advocacy” issue. Her essay is about being overlooked by a doctor and the importance of sharing your story.  April and Jen will discuss the role rage plays in advocacy, being raised to accept what doctors say and what the word survivorship means to those living alongside cancer.  

More about Jen:  https://www.instagram.com/jpo_and_co/

This episode was brought to you in collaboration with After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD):

https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/

https://www.instagram.com/abcdafterbreastcancerdiagnosis/

https://www.facebook.com/ABCDAfterBreastCancerDiagnosis/?ref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY4VHSTPyU1IYyT1fNesmAg

Purchase the “MBC: Advocacy” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-mbc24

If you liked this episode, you might like “My Life is a Movie with Jen Pogue”: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/82d0ac2c-0dbc-42b3-b8a1-16efaa3e7b56/

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

This episode’s guest is Wildfire’s own Angela Firman - back for a second visit!  She helps edit each issue of the magazine.  Angela was diagnosed initially at 33 with Stage III hormone-positive breast cancer and she is now living with Stage IV metastatic disease. Angela is an avid reader, a closet-cross-stitcher, and a fervent writer. She also serves on the board of The Pink Boat Regatta - a local sailboat race and community dedicated to raising money for breast cancer research.  In addition to working at Wildfire Magazine, Angela is an Associate Editor for Yellow Arrow Publishing, and her nonfiction writing has been published in Open Minds Quarterly, You Might Need To Hear This, and Press Pause.  Angela reads her piece “A Train to Nowhere” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue. Her essay is about how sometimes cancer significantly changes a career path. April and Angela will discuss writing memoir in the third person, when suffering brings joy and living with MBC versus dying from MBC.

More about Angela:  https://www.instagram.com/angelafirman11/

More about After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD):

https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/

https://www.instagram.com/abcdafterbreastcancerdiagnosis/

https://www.facebook.com/ABCDAfterBreastCancerDiagnosis/?ref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY4VHSTPyU1IYyT1fNesmAg

Purchase the “Work & Career” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-body24

If you liked this episode, you might like “Looking Beyond the Veil with Angela Firman": https://player.captivate.fm/episode/7630add0-ded8-43c0-9ad5-cacad940fd5b/

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

Keri Smith is a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor living in Upstate New York.  She was diagnosed at 37 with hormone positive breast cancer and is living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer (MBC).  In this episode, Keri reads her essay “Showing Up” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue.  Keri’s piece is about simultaneously receiving a long deserved promotion and a cancer diagnosis all at the same time.  April and Keri will discuss navigating mixed emotions of celebration and devastation, the ways cancer is a thief, scheduling time to talk about cancer and using writing to process through cancer.  This episode contains explicit language.

More about Keri:  https://www.instagram.com/keris113/

Purchase the “Work & Career” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-body24

If you liked this episode, you might like “A Guest Room with MBC” with Erin Weiss:

https://player.captivate.fm/episode/82d235ba-6267-410c-ab29-c0abbc9bde27/

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

Kassi Sullivan was diagnosed at 35 with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer (MBC).  Kassi is a social worker who thrives on humor, sarcasm, caffeine and true crime. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and children. In this episode, Kassi reads her essay “Authentically Me” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue.  Kassi’s piece is about one woman’s struggle to be a mental health specialist for others while tending to her own needs related to her breast cancer experience.  April and Kassi will discuss the challenges of working with students while living with cancer, loving yourself through changes, things Kassi would tell her younger self and advice for those working while living with MBC.  

More about Kassi:  https://www.instagram.com/kassi_v27/

Purchase the “Work & Career” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-body24

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