Introducing Our 53rd Issue

THE SECOND TIME AROUND

(DIAGNOSED 2x OR MORE)

Vol. 10 Issue No. 1

April / May 2025

The writers in this new Wildfire theme are all exploring stories from the front lines of have been diagnosed with cancer at least twice.

Our writers have heard “you have cancer” on repeat, whether it’s breast cancer more than once (local recurrences or metastatic recurrences), or breast cancer plus another type of cancer. Being diagnosed with cancer more than once can feel like getting hit by lightning again: a combination of shock, disbelief, anger, fear, anxiety, and grief. In short, experiencing cancer again is a whirlwind of feelings, lessons learned, and transformations — and this all comes through in this issue’s storytelling.

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Contents:

Alchemy a poem by Cheri Henderson | Diagnose, Repair. Diagnose, Replace! by Michelle Johnson | I’ve Always Been Powerful by Christine Elliot | The Gift of Koselig by Sarah Deer | Floating On by Renée Firato | Third Time’s a Charm by Dawn Amodeo | Second Issue by Ashley Chessell | Dark Mourning of the Soul by Terra Good | Why Didn’t You Tell Us a poem by Pye Pajewski | The Breath Between by Gemma Sharp | Reclaiming Myself the Second Time Around by Shayna Welsh | Fishkeeping by Liz Grissom | cautiously hopeful. by Dawn Flores | Waiting Room by Kelley Franks | For the Hope of it All by Kate Ellis | Let’s Do It Again! by Nikki Hutcherson | I Didn’t Know by Mardi Kaplan | Redefining Me by Rebecca J. Hogue | The Second Time Around a poem by Pye Pajewski | Scarred but Srong: Turning Two Cancer Battles into a Lifelong Mission by Deborah Peniuk | Karma, Karma, Karma Chameleon by Susan Danenberger

PLUS: Editor’s Note by Angela Firman

Underwriter Support by:

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis; Ana Ono; iRise Above Foundation; Young Survival Coalition

Meet Our Cover Star: Shayna Welsh

Diagnosed at 23 with IDC, Stage II, Triple Positive, BRACA1+. Stage IV recurrence at 25.

Right after graduating college everything was put on hold for Shayna as she navigated treatment: egg preservation, lymph node removal, 16 weeks of ACT chemotherapy, a double mastectomy with reconstruction, six weeks of radiation, six months of oral chemotherapy, a year of Herceptin and Perjeta infusions, a year of Zoladex, and six months of tamoxifen. While in her second year of remission, Shayna was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer in the brain. After undergoing brain surgery and radiation, she is now receiving Enhertu infusions indefinitely.

“The first time I shaved my head, I refused to take photos of myself. I didn’t want to be remembered like that at my ‘ugliest.’ After finding out my cancer had returned in my brain, and undergoing a craniotomy, radiation, and starting Enhertu, my hair began falling out again. I decided to capture myself in this moment with a photoshoot.

It was a forced act of self-love, a leap outside my comfort zone. When I finally saw all the photos, I cried. Not out of sadness, but because something inside me healed.

The shoot changed the way I view my body, my journey, and my strength. I’m so proud of the image chosen for the cover because it holds all of that: the pain, the power, the transformation.”

— Shayna Welsh

The Issue Writers

The storytelling approach we take in each issue of Wildfire is deeply community-driven. Our contributors are young survivors, thrivers, and fighters, writing from inside the experience—not looking back from a comfortable distance. Each piece is curated to foster connection, validation, and a sense of belonging, ensuring that when you pick up Wildfire, you see reflections of your own fears, hopes, and transformations.

  • Dawn Amodeo

    Managing Partner. Diagnosed at 34 and 41. IDC, Stage II, Triple Positive, then Stage IIIc colorectal cancer, and then a metastatic diagnosis.

  • Ashley Chessell

    Social worker. Diagnosed at 11 with Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Diagnosed at 32, IDC, Stage III, HER2+, Li Fraumeni Syndrome.

  • Susan Danenberger

    Winemaker/owner, Danenberger Family Vineyards. Diagnosed at 48 and 50. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.

  • Sarah Deer

    Teacher/Librarian. Diagnosed at 27 and 33. IDC, Stage III, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.

  • Christine Elliott

    Author, speaker, podcast host, guide. Diagnosed at 31 and 32. IDC, Stage III, Triple Positive, and then Stage II Lung Cancer.

  • Kate Ellis

    Diagnosed at 42 with DCIS and IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+. New diagnosis in other breast at 43 with LCIS, DCIS and IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+. Diagnosed at 46 with Triple Negative.

  • Renée Firato

    Mastectomy and lymphedema fitter. Diagnosed at 18 and 35. Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and then IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+.

  • Dawn Flores

    Retired. Diagnosed at 34 and 39. DCIS, HER2+, and then Stage IV.

  • Kelley Franks

    School social worker. Diagnosed at 36 and 41. IDC, Stage IIb, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.

  • Terra Good

    Environmental project manager. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+, and recurrence three years later.

  • Liz Grissom

    Talent development partner. Diagnosed at 33 and 41. IDC, Stage I, Triple Negative, and then Stage III, ER+, PR+.

  • Cheri Henderson

    Diagnosed at 39 and 41. IDC, Stage IIIa, ER+, PR+ and then Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.

  • Rebecca J. Hogue

    Writer and instructional designer. Diagnosed at 43 and again at 52. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+, and then Triple Positive.

  • Nikki Hutcherson

    Educator, mentor, public speaker. Diagnosed at 46 and 50. IDC, Stage I, HER2+.

  • Michelle Johnson

    Physical therapist, dragon boater, ceramic artist. Diagnosed at 52 and 54. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.

  • Mardi Kaplan

    Digital workplace leader. Diagnosed at 37 and 41. IDC, Stage IIb, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV, IDC, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.

  • Pye Pajewski

    Writer and artisan. Diagnosed at 37 and 59. IDC, Stage I, HER2+, and then IDX, Stage I, ER+.

  • Deborah Peniuk

    Founder, AYA LIFE Travel & BDM/Operations Manager for Paxman Scalp Cooling Canada. Diagnosed at 27 and 44. Stage I Cervical Cancer, and then Stage III, Triple Negative.

  • Gemma Sharp

    Writer. Diagnosed at 32 and 38. DCIS, and then Stage IV, HER2+.

  • Shayna Welsh

    Diagnosed at 23 and 25. IDC, Stage II, Triple Positive, BRACA1, and then Stage IV.

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At Wildfire, we are challenging the sterile, pink-washed narratives of traditional breast cancer media.

Each issue is a beautifully designed, book-quality collection of raw, moving, and visually rich personal essays, reflecting the reality of survivorship in all its complexity. By elevating the stories of those who have been marginalized in mainstream cancer conversations, we foster connection, advocacy, and a lasting legacy of truth-telling.

Our design philosophy is artful, immersive, and editorially rich. We blend evocative photography, bold typography, and modern layout design to create a reading experience that is both literary and visually compelling. This attention to aesthetics elevates the deeply personal narratives, reinforcing that breast cancer stories deserve the same level of artistry and care as any major literary publication.

Happy reading (and writing!).

— April Stearns, Founder & Editor-in-Chief