The Burn April Stearns

In this episode we welcome returning guest Emma Jarrett back to The Burn for a second visit.  She is a performance coach and writer who was diagnosed at 51 with Stage III, triple positive, invasive lobular breast cancer. Emma reads her essay “Paper Aeroplane” from the 2024 “Family” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  Emma’s piece is about not being able to parent her young children the way she is accustomed during her cancer treatment.  April and Emma will talk about parenting and communicating differently with our children after a cancer diagnosis, the role of writing in parenting, and the minimization of being told your breasts have done their job when losing them.  Emma will also share her advice on writing about cancer.
Connect with Emma:
https://www.instagram.com/emmajarrettwrites/
https://www.instagram.com/emmajbreastless/
https://emmajarrett.substack.com/
https://emmajarrett.ca/
Purchase the “Family” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/family24
Listen to another episode featuring Emma: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ef401f5e-553d-4fac-bb98-a646e3e5c42f
Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions

Sally Joy was diagnosed at 40 with Stage II breast cancer, and is now living with Stage IV MBC.  She is an inspiring corporate well-being leader, keynote speaker and LinkedIn Top Voice who posts regularly about wellbeing, resilience, survivorship and patient advocacy.  Sally reads her piece “The Light Within the Darkness” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue.  It’s a piece about finding both joy and hope in uncertainty, and the silver linings that exist alongside the scars.  April and Sally discuss being both incurable and hopeful, thriving while living with MBC for 6 years, and toxic positivity.  They will also discuss post traumatic growth.
More about Sally Joy Wolf: 
https://www.sallywolf.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sallyshoots/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-wolf-932139/
Strip Down Rise Up documentary: ​​https://www.netflix.com/title/80208242
More about Wildfire: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
Purchase the 2023 "MBC: Lesson Learned" issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mbc23
Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions 

This week we are sharing a favorite episode from the archives as we take a little summer break from our regular podcast schedule.  Production assistant Monica Haro selected this episode from May of 2022 to reshare.  Enjoy!
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 and folding into your existing life. Cancer and the loss of Julie’s best friend in an accident 20 years prior become interlinked. That earlier loss is deeply connected to the trauma cancer brings, and Julie finds a breakdown becomes a breakthrough.  April and Julie discuss using writing to recenter, writing as a means to help those close to you understand you better, and finding joy in choosing yourself and realizing your dreams.
More about Julie and Wild Homestead Living: https://wildhomesteadliving.com 
More about Wildfire: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
Purchase the 2022 "Cancer Culture" issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/printcc22
Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions 

In this episode we welcome returning guest Gretchen Stelter back to The Burn for a second visit.  She is a freelance book editor and writer diagnosed at 39 with Triple Positive breast cancer.  Gretchen reads her essay “Erin go Braugh” from the 2023 “Travel & Adventure” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  Gretchen’s piece is about traveling solo after a breast cancer diagnosis.  April and Gretchen will talk about updates in Gretchen’s life since her last visit, how traveling reoriented Gretchen to herself after cancer, solo travel tips, and being open with your breast cancer story - or not.  They will also discuss tips on writing different pieces of your story.  This episode contains explicit language.  
Connect with Gretchen: https://www.instagram.com/editorstet/
Purchase the “Travel & Adventure” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mbc23
Listen to another episode featuring Gretchen: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/9d56eeba-ece9-44bf-87df-0a7caa7d48e1
If you liked this episode, you might like “Quebec Beckons” with Anita Saesing: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/20800b87-9c19-4a15-b7b3-20e06504c695

Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions
Direct episode link: Episode URL for Captivate: 

Miranda Gonzales was diagnosed at 39 with Stage III IDC.  She now works and volunteers in the breast cancer arena. Miranda reads her essay “Going At It Not So Alone” from the 2019 “Social” issue of Wildfire Magazine.  Miranda’s piece is about finding her people in Cancer Land. April and Miranda will talk about what it’s like for Miranda to read this essay she wrote 5 years ago, on being a long term survivor, finding peer support, and advice on taking small steps to make community connections.  They will also discuss Miranda’s decision to stay working in Cancer Land.
Connect with Miranda: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8SeBDypbJn/?img_index=1
Purchase the “Social” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/digital-social19
More on our MBC Life:  https://www.ourmbclife.org/
If you liked this episode, you might also like:
“Cristina with Marissa Thomas” https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e18ce3bd-15ce-4d89-95fe-eed2c586869c
Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions

Mardi Kaplan was first diagnosed with breast cancer at 37.  She is now living with Stage V MBC.  In this episode, Mardi reads her essay “You Were There” from the 2023 “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue of Wildfire.  Mardi’s piece is about  friendship and the ones that go before us at each step of the cancer road, paving the way.   April and Mardi talk about having conversations about death, living in joy while embracing mortality, the skewed perceptions of what illness may or may not look like, and friendship found in community.  They will also discuss the choice of being private or public about cancer after a diagnosis.  This episode contains explicit language.
Connect with Mardi: 
https://www.instagram.com/mardi.gras12/
https://www.caringbridge.org/public/mardikaplan
Purchase the “MBC: Lessons Learned” issue here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/p/mbc23
If you liked this episode, you might like this one “My Cancer Jiminy Cricket with Stefanie Lejeunesse”: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/c0e2274a-d77b-42cb-8cde-9177a40f5c8b
Buy the Wildfire book Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today’s Young Breast Cancer Community: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Get the free Wildfire “Hot Flashes” email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/newsletter?rq=newsletter
Learn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshops
Shop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop
*Free* Get Wildfire and The Burn freebies here: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/free
More about Wildfire Magazine: 
https://www.wildfirecommunity.org
https://www.instagram.com/wildfire_bc_magazine/
https://www.facebook.com/wildfirecommunity
Information on submitting your story for consideration to be published in Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/submissions