Flash Memoir: Dear Pre-Cancer Me
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 nine 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.
The Power of No with Chelsee Wilson
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.
A Letter to My Greatest Guru with Bethany Adair
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: Lessons 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.
Revenge with Jen Pogue
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.
A Train to Nowhere with Angela Firman
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 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.
Showing Up with Keri Smith
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.
Authentically Me with Kassi Sullivan
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.
Rosanne with Debbie Kerr
Debbie Kerr reads her essay “Rosanne” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue. April and Debbie will talk about working as a lifeline during treatment, using humor in hard times, long-term survivorship and the cancer related PTSD nobody talks about.
Finding Purpose in Paradox with Kate Rowbotham
Kate Rowbotham reads her essay “Finding Purpose in Paradox” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue. Kate’s piece is about cancer colliding with her work life.
Trading Places with Beth Gainer
Beth Gainer reads her essay “Trading Places” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Work & Career” issue. Beth’s piece is about cancer colliding with her work life. When her employer turned their back following her diagnosis, she took the scary leap into the unknown to change careers.
Snip, Surrender, Shine: A Ritual in Resilience with Stacy Conlon
Stacy Conlon reads her essay “Snip, Surrender, Shine: A Ritual in Resilience” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. Stacy’s piece takes us along on an act of intentional ritual when removing her hair before chemo, and giving herself a ceremony container to move through a part of her breast cancer journey.
Swim: Searching for Answers in Memoir with Tova Wolking
Tova reads her piece “Swim” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Bay Area Young Survivors” issue. In the wake of Tova’s mom passing away, breast cancer took root in her body. This is the story of one woman asking how to find the key to unlocking her own grief about her breast cancer when her mother took so many of those answers with her when she died. Note of warning for sensitive listeners, this episode touches upon loss and suicide.
Where Do You Go When You Don’t Belong Anywhere? with Laurie Ratliff
Laurie Ratliff reads her piece “Where Do You Go When You Don’t Belong Anywhere?” from the 2019 “Social” issue of Wildfire Magazine. We all want to know where we belong, where our people are; the ones who understand us and accept us completely? Since her diagnosis at 34 and in the 20+ years she’s lived with metastatic breast cancer, Laurie has navigated many communities within breast cancer, searching for others like herself. At last she found her place in the so-called pink sisterhood. When she found her home, she also found herself in the unexpected role of an advocate for a type of breast reconstruction called aesthetic flat closure.
Memories in Color: Four Generations with Erica Fitch
Erica reads her piece “Memories in Color: Four Generations” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2020 “Family” issue, where she uses the structure of color to explore and write the hard stories in our lives. Her story is about growing up with intimate knowledge of illness and the parallels that exist when you face it yourself.
Door Marked Danger with Lorie Kolak
Lorie reads her essay “Door Marked Danger” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. Lorie’s piece slows down to take us into the moments surrounding her nipple tattoo experience following her mastectomy. April and Lorie will discuss the storytelling fairy tales buried inside of us, cold capping, talking about cancer with children, and the times when you do get to have a choice in the cancer experience.
About Damn Time with Claire Lemiski
Claire Lemiski is an airline pilot who was diagnosed at 36 with Stage III, hormone positive breast cancer. In this episode, Claire reads her essay “About Damn Time” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Family” issue. Claire’s piece is about breast cancer being a genderless disease, and a bond that was strengthened with her father because of their shared experience of both receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. April and Claire will discuss using a musical container for writing, the treatment contrasts and misconceptions of male breast cancer, reconstruction, and the intersection of career and cancer. They will also talk about Claire’s lymphedema concerns, and when it’s appropriate to talk about breast cancer when asked about her lymphedema compression sleeve.
Naked Narrative with Katie Murray
Katie Murray reads her essay, “Naked Narrative,” from the 2021 “Body” issue of Wildfire Magazine. When she 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 and make sense of all she'd been through, prior to cancer, and then during her cancer treatment.
Bra Hunting with Jennifer Bringle
Jennifer reads her essay “Bra Hunting” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. Jennifer’s essay is about bra shopping after breast cancer surgery told through the lens of buying bras throughout her life. April and Jennifer will talk about the possibility of more reconstruction surgeries in the future, cancer stealing the pleasure of dressing your body, and finding new joy in writing about the past. They will also discuss the people we encounter along the way in our cancer experience. Jennifer will also share her writing process and tips.
The Story About My Body with Shangrong Lee
Shangrong Lee was diagnosed with hormone positive breast cancer at 43 in 2017. In this episode, Shangrong reads her essay “The Story About My Body” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. Shangrong’s piece is about receiving a cancer diagnosis that transports her back in time to growing up Asian when she felt like her body wasn’t a safe space because she looked different from American beauty standards. Then she found running, and found her way to feeling safe in her body again.
The Deformed Woman with Hannah Haworth
Hannah Haworth reads her essay “The Deformed Woman” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2024 “Body” issue. April and Hannah discuss Hannah’s experience of writing her usual fiction books versus cancer memoir, embracing the privilege of aging, and the road to finding a support group that resonates.