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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.