The Burn

Erika Giovanniello was diagnosed at 32 with breast cancer.  She is a camper, backpacker, Frenchie dog mom, and a nurse anesthetist who has made the transition from healthcare provider to patient.  In this episode, Erika reads her essay “Decision Fatigue” from the 2024 “Body” issue of Wildfire Journal. Her piece is about wanting to be a part of the life milestones her friends are experiencing, but she has to do cancer instead.  April and Erika will discuss the complexity of decision making, being included in decisions by medical staff, quality of life decisions, and how cancer impacted Erika’s approach to her healthcare career going forward.  They will also discuss dressing a flat chest. Contains explicit language.

More about Erika: https://www.instagram.com/thirtyflirtyandflat/

Busting Free: https://amandasavagebrown.com/busting-free/

Purchase the “Body” issue of Wildfire Journal: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-mbc24

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 Journal: 

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

Amy Austin returns to The Burn for a second visit.  Amy was diagnosed with Stage IV de novo breast cancer at 34 after initially being misdiagnosed with a complex benign cyst. She is the third in a direct family line to be diagnosed with breast cancer without a known genetic link. In this episode Amy reads her poem “In Praise of Quiet Advocacy” from the 2024 “MBC: Advocacy” issue of Wildfire Journal. Her poem is about the role of “quiet” advocacy in supporting individuals living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).  April and Amy will discuss what quiet advocacy means, the importance of being seen and seeing other young breast cancer patients, and the impact of friendships when sharing an MBC diagnosis. Amy will also share how her poem came to be with the support of another MBC friend, and the writing prompts that are all around us.

More about Amy: https://www.instagram.com/amy_r_austin/

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

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

Listen to another episode featuring Amy: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/997971a0-b861-4698-aca8-7f4b82c90056

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

Shelley Moreno returns to The Burn for a second visit.  Shelley was diagnosed in 2012 with Triple Negative breast cancer.  She is a writer, speaker and intuitive healer for pets and people. Shelley is currently writing a book and gives animal communication and intuitive coaching sessions. She lives in Los Angeles with her son Kai and their beloved cat Ollie.  In this episode Shelley reads her piece “My Side” from the 2024 “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Journal.  Her essay is about coming to terms with a difficult childhood and what is ultimately most healing for a daughter moving forward. April and Shelley will discuss the courage it takes to write about difficult relationships, communicating with your inner child, and the Death Mother archetype.  

More about Shelley:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-5hWYvvTuTOxBaa3mzH4iG8C5lfRJsixzBpyg0/?img_index=1

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1121613767

Purchase the “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mothers24

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

Deltra James was diagnosed at 33 with de novo Stage IV, Triple Negative MBC.  She is a New England based mama, poet, patient advocate, and co-host of the Empowered Intimacy podcast.  In this episode Deltra reads her piece “For Now is As Good As Forever: Dating with Advanced Breast Cancer” from the 2024 “MBC: Advocacy” issue of Wildfire Journal.  Her essay is about one woman’s experience of dating alongside her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, and podcasting about it.  April and Deltra will discuss being open to sharing cancer stories, cancer’s impact on established relationship vows, dating new people after cancer, and empowered intimacy challenges after cancer.  This episode contains sexual content.

More about Deltra:

https://www.instagram.com/deltra_does_it/

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQqB9UtXWxPio1JOyDBTn-sA4TIuPRa2o&si=kIXAwVFtnG6mXD7F

More about our episode sponsor Rethink Breast Cancer:

https://www.instagram.com/rethinkbreastcancer/

https://rethinkbreastcancer.com/find-community?utm_campaign=featured_banner_THERETHINKNETWORK&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio

Purchase the “MBC: Advocacy” 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

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