The Burn

Roberta Lombardi was diagnosed at 49 with Stage I, Triple Positive breast cancer in 2016.  In 2018 she founded Infinite Strength — a nonprofit which provides financial and emotional support to underrepresented single mothers living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In this episode Roberta reads her essay “When Two Worlds Collide” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Five Years & Counting” is...

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 Laurie Hessen Pomeranz re...

Lauren Oxenhandler was diagnosed at 30 with triple negative breast cancer. She is a life coach, and identifies as a seeker of connections to the world and other people via travel.  In this episode Lauren reads her essay “Purgatory at Thirty-One” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2018 “Body” issue.  Her piece is about how the aftermath of breast cancer treatment is eerily similar to those middle s...

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 Tamira Jubber reading her...

Meghan McCallum is a freelance writer and French to English translator living in Wisconsin.  She was diagnosed with Stage III Triple Negative breast cancer at 32. In this episode Meghan reads her essay “This Is Cancer” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Cancer Culture” issue.  Her piece is about the surrealness of suddenly finding yourself traveling in the weird world of breast cancer – and...

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 Denise Archer reading her...

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a break from our regular podcast schedule for the Memorial Day holiday. Wildfire team member Angela Firman selected this episode from April 2022 to re-share. Enjoy! This episode’s guest Erin Weiss returns to The Burn again to read her essay “A Guest Room for MBC” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “MBC: Stage IV Survivorship” issu...

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 Stephanie Kinkel reading...

Tara Dunsmore Williamson of North Carolina was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago.  She was one of the earliest breast cancer changemakers featured in Wildfire. April wrote a piece spotlighting Tara’s work in the breast cancer community called “Rising From the Ashes: Healing Ink” from the very first “Body” issue of Wildfire Magazine in 2017.  In this episode April will read her es...

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 Ann Camden reading her es...

This episode's guest is Wildfire’s own Angela Firman.  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 is an avid reader, a closet-cross-stitcher, and a fervent writer. In addition to working at Wildfire Magazine, Angela is an Associate Editor for...

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 the essay “Ocean” by Leslie Ray...

Californian Dana Roske is a part-time winery wench, single mother to two girls, and an aspiring writer. She was diagnosed at 34 with not only breast cancer, but also a rare sarcoma called a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST).  Today, Dana reads her piece “Remember Who The F! You Are” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Identity & Aftermath” issue. Her essay is all about navigating sex and i...

This week in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, we have selected this episode from March of 2022 to re-share.  It features Melanie Childers sharing her story and feelings around her cancer-induced loss of fertility.   Certified resilience and leadership coach Melanie Childers was diagnosed at 34 with Stage II, hormone-positive breast cancer.  Today, Melanie reads her...

Anne Ferrier Crook was diagnosed at 48 with Stage I hormone-positive breast cancer. A few years later, cancer came again in the form of Stage Ib melanoma. Anne has worked in many facets of healthcare doing what she calls “holding space for life’s sacred thresholds.” She is a c ertified integrative health coach, medical interpreter, birth doula, consultant with the Institute for The Study of Birth,...

Canadian Kim Angell is a human resources consultant and patient advocate.  Kim was initially diagnosed with Stage IIb, hormone positive lobular breast cancer at 34. At 38, her cancer returned. Kim is now living with Stage IV metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Kim has a passion for advocacy work and has contributed to various breast cancer campaigns over the years.  In this episode...

We are taking this week off to enjoy spring break with our loved ones, so we’ve dug through our archives to select a favorite episode from March 2022 to re-share.   We know you’ll enjoy this episode as much as we do!  Erin Stodola was 28 when she was diagnosed with Stage I Triple Negative breast cancer.  She carries the BRCA1 gene.  Today, Erin reads her piece “The Moments Betw...

Beth Gainer is an author who is an educator, as well as a professional writer and editor. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39, and is now 22 years out from her diagnosis. In this episode she reads her piece “First Comes Cancer Then Comes Divorce” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2016 “Love & Intimacy” issue.  Beth’s essay is about how cancer affected her marriage.  April and Beth...

Gretchen Stelter is a freelance book editor & writer from Madison, Wisconsin.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39.  She has volunteered with Girls, Inc. for nine years and co-chaired the Safety & Security Committee for ThrillerFest, which is a conference for thriller writers.  In this episode, Gretchen reads her piece “Let Me Hear Your Body Talk” from the Wildfire bo...

This week in honor of Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Awareness Month, we have selected this episode from February 2022 to re-share.  It features Whitney O’Connor who discovered her link to Li-Fraumeni Syndrome when diagnosed with breast cancer.   Li-Fraumeni Syndrome is just one of the many genetic mutations that can lead to a breast cancer diagnosis.   Whitney was diagnosed with a rare...

April Renn is a student, and an eccentric mother of one.  She was diagnosed at 36 with Stage II breast cancer and carries the PALB2 gene.  April is a long-term survivor being 5+ years out from diagnosis.  In this episode she reads her piece “From Mom I Got Strength, Led Zeppelin and PALB2” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2019 “Genetics” issue.  April’s essay is about being sandwiched...

Jamil Rivers is a powerhouse.  Diagnosed at 39 with Stage IV de novo metastatic breast cancer (MBC), she is a CEO, devoted mama, wife and passionate advocate.  Since diagnosis, Jamil has become an advocate using her cancer experiences to advance legislative policy, medical research and customize support to better meet the needs of individuals impacted by breast cancer, particularly metas...

Stephanie is a retired hair stylist, writer, and advocate for AdvancedBreastCancer.net. Stephanie was diagnosed stage IIIa at 25, and then stage IV at 31. In this episode Stephanie reads their essay “My Life and Being Wrong” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Legacy Stories” issue.  Stephanie’s unusual cancer story is about a very unexpected pregnancy.  Stephanie and April will discuss the i...

We are delighted to welcome Ann Camden back for another episode of The Burn. Ann was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer at 38. She then had a Stage IV recurrence at 45. More recently, she was diagnosed with leptomeningeal disease - fluid of the brain, spine and many other organs. Ann is a mother of twin teenage girls and married to her college sweetheart, Jeff. In this episode Ann reads her pi...

Holly Taylor was a sergeant in the US Army National Guard, and then became a kindergarten teacher.  She was diagnosed at 37 with stage IV breast cancer after earlier breast health concerns were dismissed.  She is now a stay-at-home mom. In this episode Holly reads her stirring piece “I Want” for Wildfire Magazine’s 2022 “Legacy Stories” issue where she expresses all her wants that she de...