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

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