The Burn

San Francisco resident Maya Kini is a visual artist, a poet and a mother of two.  She has an MFA in Metalsmithing & her favorite material is gold. Maya was diagnosed at 41 with Stage III breast cancer, and also carries the PALB2 genetic mutation. Today Maya reads her story “Rip Curl” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Body” issue.  Her story is about hope and grieving, and accepting body...

Claire Millet is an acupuncturist & craniosacral therapist living in Boston, Massachusetts. Claire has been riding a six-year-long rollercoaster ride of diagnoses and treatments. First diagnosed at 33 with Stage II ductal breast cancer, Claire is now living with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer. Today Claire reads her story “Body Map” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Body” issue.  H...

South Africa based journalist Aisha Chowdhry was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 in the midst of her journalism career.  Today Aisha reads her story “A Journalist Embedded in Cancerland” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Community” issue.  When cancer comes Aisha becomes the story when she is used to putting the focus on others.  April and Aisha discuss reflecting about participatin...

We are continuing the celebration of our 1 year anniversary of the podcast with this re-release of our very first episode featuring Sara Olsher of Mighty + Bright. We are focusing our celebration on the "hard truths" learned in cancer and this episode highlights another: sometimes you have to face cancer while also parenting children. How do you care for yourself when others depend on you for care...

Today we celebrate our 1 year anniversary with a special 2 part episode where April and Monica revisit some favorite episodes and guests from the past year of The Burn! Our goal is to bring the stories of the young breast cancer community to life and to inspire you to use writing as a tool in your own survivorship. We’ve organized today’s special around what we are calling “hard truths of being di...

Today we celebrate our 1 year anniversary with a special 2 part episode where April and Monica revisit some favorite episodes and guests from the past year of The Burn! Our goal is to bring the stories of the young breast cancer community to life and to inspire you to use writing as a tool in your own survivorship. We’ve organized today’s special around what we are calling “hard truths of being di...

Pediatric Physiotherapist Vanessa D’Souza of Calgary was diagnosed with breast cancer at 44. She is a mother, daughter, sister, niece, cousin, partner, friend, neighbor, advocate and lover of life.  Today Vanessa reads her piece “Bindis & Bangles, Onions & Shame-ectomies” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Canada’s Young Survivors” issue.  This is a layered piece about intuition, fam...

New Yorker Amy Hartl wears many hats: recovery educator, survivorship consultant, oncology massage specialist, lymphatic drainage therapist and speaker. Since she was a young girl Amy lived in the shadow of her mom’s breast cancer diagnosis before receiving her own diagnosis at 41.  Today she reads her piece “The More Things Change, The Less They Stay The Same” from the 2022 “Cancer Culture”...

Young mother Lauren Candies Tarpley of Charleston, South Carolina was diagnosed at 34 with breast cancer.  Today Lauren reads her piece “The Friends that Leave” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Community” issue.  Lauren writes about the friendships that couldn’t stand up to cancer and what that taught her.  April and Lauren will discuss friends that can’t handle the diagnosis, how lon...

Today’s guest is Meghan Nathanson, a writer & visual artist from coastal Maine.  She was diagnosed at 45 with breast cancer.  Today, Meghan reads her piece “There Can Be Joy” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Community” issue.  Meghan writes about her inner world during her breast cancer experiences with her medical professionals to inspire a deeper, more resounding presence in the...

Shelley Moreno of Los Angeles was diagnosed in 2012 at 40 with breast cancer while a single mother.  Today Shelley reads her piece “Each Body Part Has a Story to Tell” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2019 “Body” issue.  Shelley navigates cancer’s aftermath as a single mother and wonders what it will take to accept her body for what it is.  Shelley and April will discuss authentic parenting...

Managing Director Dawn Amodeo of Los Angeles was diagnosed at 34 with breast cancer.  Today Dawn reads her piece “Car Battery” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Body” issue.  Dawn’s story slows things down to key moments that played out on the day she needs to check into the hospital for breast surgery and her car battery dies, giving us a closer look at what she observed and felt. April an...

Nutritional therapy practitioner and meditation teacher Juni Bucher was diagnosed at 41 with breast cancer.  Today Juni reads her piece, “Can I See?” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Body” issue.  Juni dives into her experience of dating with a changed body and one nipple after breast cancer treatment, and finding confidence and pleasure.  Juni and April discuss arriving at body accep...

This week as we kick back and enjoy the Fourth of July holiday vibes here in the US, we are taking a little break from our regular podcast schedule to re-share with you a favorite episode from the archives. From time to time throughout the year, the Wildfire team will be sharing episodes that really resonate with us personally. Today, Monica Haro has selected this episode about suicidal ideation b...

Human rights and disability advocate Clare Li is working and living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer in Montreal.  She was first diagnosed in 2018 after already managing other pre-existing chronic medical conditions.  Today Clare reads her piece “My Inner Voice'' from Wildfire’s 2022 “Canada’s Young Survivors” issue.  She explains about trusting her inner voice while deviating...

Hay House author and wellbeing coach Saskia Lightstar joins us from London today.  Saskia was living a rock n’ roll lifestyle when she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer at 39.  From a pre-cancer suicide attempt to a post-cancer life as a self described Cancer Misfit & Happiness Ninja, Saskia’s cancer took her on a spiritual path of moving forward with self acceptance after h...

In this replay of episode 27, we are going back to revisit our most downloaded episode to date!  Even doctors get breast cancer. Even young, vegan, multi-Ironman-level athlete doctors get breast cancer. (Let that sink in if you've been wondering if your diagnosis is because of something you did, didn't do, ate, didn't eat, etc.) Tracy Cushing had been an athlete & practicing emergency med...

Denise Archer, from episode 22, returns to The Burn today to read her piece “Dynamite for the Dinner Table” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2019/2020 “Social” issue. Denise is a maker and sewist from Portland who was diagnosed at 45 with triple-negative breast cancer. Denise’s piece tells it like it is regarding the complex and intense friendships born out of a shared cancer experience. Denise and April...

Chiara Riga of Santa Cruz, California was diagnosed at 27 with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer during the pandemic. Today, Chiara reads her piece “Emerging From The Ashes of Year One” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “MBC” issue.  Chiara shares her complicated experiences of navigating both difficult and celebratory milestones while living with terminal cancer. Chiara and April also discuss de...

Today our host April Stearns gives us some reflections and food for thought from the young breast cancer landscape.  In this mini yet dense episode, April honors the memory of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) influencer & advocate Nalie Agustin, ponders what it means to be a “cancer famous” social media influencer, and how our words live on after we are gone. She’ll talk about the empowerme...

Margaret Loniewska was diagnosed at 40 with Stage IV de novo metastatic breast cancer while pregnant in 2019. Today she reads her piece #GucciTrackSuit” from Wildfire’s 2020 “MBC: Stage IV Self Care” issue.  It’s a piece about honoring yourself and experiencing joy when it comes to money, and a life-changing purchase. When cancer comes money issues don’t evaporate or become frivolous. Cancer...

San Francisco psychotherapist Laurie Hessen Pomeranz was diagnosed in 2010 at age 42 with ductal and lobular breast cancer.  Today Laurie reads her piece “The Day My Nipple Fell Off” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Body” issue. Laurie finds that sometimes the tiniest losses represent the biggest shifts.  Laurie and April will discuss being long-term survivors, Laurie’s feelings about her...

Julie was 35 when she was diagnosed with DCIS and mucinous carcinoma. She is a park ranger in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, and a co-founder of Wild Homestead Living.  Today, Julie reads her piece “After Death Leaves Its Calling Card” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Cancer Culture” issue.  It’s a piece about a cancer diagnosis meeting you exactly where you are on life’s path...

Our episode 5 guest Erin Weiss returns to The Burn today to read her essay “A Guest Room for MBC” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “MBC: Stage IV Survivorship” issue.  Erin is a mom and psychotherapist who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer following her very first mammogram at 42.  She’s been living with breast cancer since August 2019.  Her piece is about making space for me...

Madison Hager was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at 29, just months into the coronavirus pandemic.  Today she reads her piece “The Chocolate Chip Cookie That Broke the Camel’s Back” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Body” issue.  It’s about facing her pre-cancer demons while simultaneously facing cancer. The modern conception of a cancer survivor is that they are enlightened, and hav...