The Burn

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Shelley Moreno reading he...

Emily Helck is a writer and artist who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 over a decade ago.  Emily was one of the very first writers published in Wildfire Magazine. She wrote “Heat Lightning” in the first “Love In the Time of Cancer” issue in 2016.  This essay is also included in our anthology, "Igniting the Fire Within." April and Emily will discuss what it’s like revisiting this e...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Margaret Loniewska readin...

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for the Labor Day holiday. Production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from January 2022 to re-share. Enjoy! Denise Archer from Portland was diagnosed with Triple Negative breast cancer at 45. She is a maker that has been sewing since she was 15 years old. Denise reads her...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Dawn Amodeo reading her e...

In 2018 Wildfire Magazine had the privilege of publishing Danielle Hernandez’s essay “Well, Let’s Start a Podcast” in the “The Caregivers” issue.  Danielle was diagnosed at 32 with Stage IV breast cancer in 2017. She lived with MBC for five years, and then passed away on November 19, 2021.  In this episode April is joined by Danielle’s mom Violeta Wall, and her dear friend Heather H...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Saskia Lightstar reading...

Dory Kashin is an event planner who was diagnosed at 29 with hormone positive breast cancer.  After a year of active treatment and multiple rounds of fertility treatments, Dory had a miracle baby.  In this episode Dory reads her piece “Mommy’s Boobs Are Different” from the 2023 “Five Years & Counting” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  This is a piece about what happened after her you...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Clare Li reading her essa...

Dorothy Parades was first diagnosed at 26 with Stage I, Triple Negative breast cancer. Ten years later, she was then also diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 36 and again at 38.  In this episode Dorothy reads her piece “Life With You: In Three Parts” from the 2023 “Five Years & Counting” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  This is a piece about living in a world where cancer is normal and the...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Julie Stonefelt reading h...

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for a summer break.   Wildfire team member Emily Piercell has selected this episode from November 2021 to re-share. Enjoy! Anna Crollman was diagnosed at age 27 with stage II breast cancer. Anna writes beautifully about post-cancer depression in Wildfire Magazine’s 2018 “Mental H...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Madison Hager reading her...

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 Ash...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Jessica Wajda reading her...

Tatiana Berger is a former attorney who was diagnosed with breast cancer twice. She is an aspiring writer and hopes to create healing retreats for cancer survivors.  She is a single mom, enjoys an active, outdoor lifestyle traveling back and forth between homes in Newport Beach and Hawaii.  In this episode Tatiana reads her piece “The Chrysalis” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Five Years...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features April Johnson Stearns rea...

Celebrate 100 with us!  In this one hour special episode, the tables are turned on host April Stearns – production assistant Monica Haro takes the mic & asks April all the questions. April reflects on the journey of The Burn podcast and its growth since 2020 to 100 episodes. The podcast emerged as an extension of the Wildfire Magazine's storytelling, aiming to bring stories to life throug...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Juni Bucher reading her e...

This is our first episode of The Burn featuring a guided meditation with Justine Egan-Kunicki.  Justine is a breast cancer advocate, social psychologist, professor and yoga teacher diagnosed at 23.  Justine reads her poem “Finding My Breath After Cancer" that was featured on our Instagram in March 2023.  Her piece is about living with implants for 10 years and explanting to an aesth...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Meaghan Calcari Campbell...

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for the July 4th holiday. Production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from December 2021 to re-share. Enjoy! Our guest today is Jessica Lynne who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43. After she was diagnosed, she learned certain thoughts and patterns no longer served her....

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Natalie Bello Silva readi...

Di Keen was diagnosed at 36 with Stage IV de novo inflammatory breast cancer in 2014.  She is a mother, wife, daughter, sister, auntie, friend, and lifelong student.  In 2020, Di founded ROOTS & WINGS Charitable Foundation to support complementary integrative wellness care for MBC patients. In this episode Di reads her essay “Impossible” from Wildfire Magazine’s 7th annual MBC issue...

Ripped from the pages of the popular Wildfire Magazine anthology, “Igniting the Fire Within,” we’ve curated this special mini podcast for you.  Each Friday, hear a new bite-sized episode. Featuring “just the stories” from the book read by the authors. Think of this as your dynamic audiobook version of Igniting the Fire Within. Enjoy!   This episode features Stefanie Le Jeunesse read...