The Burn

Kira Hodgson was diagnosed at 31 with Stage III, estrogen and progesterone positive breast cancer.  Kira writes about what happens when you are literally the only one in your friend group that has had to deal with something as serious as cancer.  Kira came face to face with what this new reality looked like one day at Dolores Park in San Francisco.  She asks, can we still be friends when I know the truth about how fragile life can be?  Today, Kira is reading a piece she wrote for Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Bay Area Young Survivors” issue, “A Fragile Invincibility.”

More about Kira at https://kira-hodgson.medium.com/about and https://www.instagram.com/kirahodgson/.

More about Wildfire Magazine at https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/.

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

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Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].

Erin Weiss was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) following her very first mammogram at 42.  She’s a mom and a psychotherapist and she’s been living with breast cancer since August 2019. Erin’s story takes us right to the day she received this devastating diagnosis, and shows us what it’s like to not only bear that weight on a very real, very day-to-day level, but also how to shift that weight to something more manageable. Erin’s story gives us the opportunity to develop empathy for one another, and for the metastatic breast cancer community.  And for those not facing MBC, it also gives us a little bit of a road map should we ever find ourselves in Erin’s shoes. Erin’s story is one of hope - hope for her, and hope for us.  Today, Erin is here to read a piece she wrote for Wildfire Magazine’s 2020 “Family” issue. 

More on Erin at https://www.instagram.com/emweiss/

Learn more about Wildfire Magazine at https://www.wildfirecommunity.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

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].

Kristen Carbone was young when her mother was diagnosed with the early-stage breast cancer that would eventually metastasize to her organs. At 31, in a step that allowed Kristen a measure of control, a step in healing her grief for her mother, she had a preventative bilateral mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer herself. In the process of this surgery, Kristen learned that her mother is with her now in the help she accepts from friends and family, and that moving on is not a betrayal to her mother. Today, Kristen is here to read a piece she wrote for Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Grief & Acceptance” issue.

Learn more about Brilliantly at http://www.brilliantly.co, and http://www.instagram.com/brilliantly.co.

Learn more about Wildfire Magazine at http://www.wildfirecommunity.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

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].

When Katie Murray was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was surprised to discover that old traumas she thought she had dealt with were reawakened within her. She turned to writing to ground herself - quite literally on the gurney going into and emerging from surgery - and make sense of all she'd been through, prior to cancer, and then during her cancer treatment. Katie is reading for us today a story she wrote for the fifth annual (2021) Body issue of Wildfire Magazine, "Naked Narrative." Trigger warning: this episode includes a discussion of miscarriage.

More about Katie https://www.instagram.com/1day_2019/.

More about Wildfire Magazine http://www.wildfirecommunity.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

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].

Sara Olsher is intimately aware of how hard -- but also how necessary and ultimately rewarding -- talking to small kids about adult challenges affecting them can be. Sara believes facing mountains like a cancer diagnosis gives us a chance to show our kids how to handle the hard stuff head-on, with grace. Today, Sara is here to read a piece she wrote for Wildfire Magazine’s 2020 Changemaker issue, “Talking to Kids About Cancer.”

More about Sara at http://www.mightyandbright.com and http://www.saraolsher.com.

More about Wildfire Magazine at http://www.wildfirecommunity.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

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].

Introducing The Burn, your weekly dose of transformative storytelling from the writers behind Wildfire Magazine. We are the ones "too young for breast cancer," but facing a life after diagnosis nonetheless. Hosted by the founder and editor-in-chief, April Stearns. April's belief is that telling your story can be the difference between a difficult cancer experience being traumatic and a difficult cancer experience being empowering. Each week we'll hear personal stories of how one woman is facing life after diagnosis and what lessons she's learning along the way. Come for the stories, leave inspired to put pen to paper and explore your own. Learn more about Wildfire Magazine and our writing community for young breast cancer survivors and fighters at http://www.wildfirecommunity.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

Send your voice recording testimonial to [email protected].