The Burn
A twice-weekly podcast bringing the stories - and the craft of storytelling - of Wildfire to life.
The Burn is about telling cancer stories like you’ve never read - or heard - before.
Each week, April Stearns and the writers of Wildfire Magazine share their experiences of being diagnosed with breast cancer under 50. We go way deeper than the medical facts to the transformation of survivorship, and in the process, we talk about the healing power of writing. Whether you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or not, you'll be inspired to write the stories in you that need to be shared. Come for the stories, stay to discover how to write your way back to yourself (each episode includes a special writing prompt). A new episode is released each Wednesday and Friday.
Tune In.
On Wednesdays, we share fresh stories from the pages of our popular magazine. Each episode features inspiring stories, conversation & writing tips.
On Fridays, we spotlight one storyteller from our bestselling book, Igniting the Fire Within. Click the player to hear the latest episode.
What People Are Saying
“This podcast feels like sitting down with old friends who really understand you.”
— AuggieRai, Apple Podcasts Reviewer
“Hearing stories from other young women that face the unique challenges of fighting breast cancer and then taking the challenge from April’s writing prompts to tell my own story is one of the most healing things I’ve done, second only to my chemotherapy treatments.”
— AnnieOakley78, Apple Podcasts Reviewer
Let us know how much you are loving The Burn!
Listen Now From the Archives
“From Mom I Got Strength, Led Zeppelin and PALB2” with April Renn (Explicit)
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 between her mother and her young daughter, with breast cancer swirling all around. April and April Renn will talk about long-term survivorship topics: not being currently active in the breast cancer community, long-term side effects of treatment, and feeling freedom in really seeing yourself when accepting and facing mortality. They will also discuss raising and teaching daughters about breast health and genetic predispositions. April Renn shares about a novel she is working on and how the free Wildfire journal she downloaded helped her to return to writing. Her essay is included in the Wildfire book, Igniting the Fire Within.
FREE
The Burn Writing Companion: Guided Prompt Journal (Vol. 1)
A gift for you: a printable journal with prompts and inspiration taken straight from our episodes to help you write your stories. Enter your details below to receive the free PDF in your inbox. (You’ll also receive the Wildfire newsletter once per week with additional survivorship wisdom, writing prompts, and inspiration. Unsubscribe anytime you like.)
“Stories connect us and this podcast will too. The transformative power of storytelling after cancer now has a beautiful podcast. What a gift to the world.”
— laramacG, Apple Podcast Preview