I Can Still Feel It with Cassandra Umbriaco
I Can Still Feel It
What happens when survival becomes the only thing that matters—and what comes after?
In this episode of The Burn, Cassandra Umbriaco reads “I Can Still Feel It,” an essay about being diagnosed with Stage II triple negative breast cancer at 28, carrying the BRCA1 gene, and living for years with one guiding mantra: “Don’t die.”
Cassandra writes about the emotional thaw that came after treatment—the feelings, grief, anger, and memories that had been held beneath the surface. And she writes about an unexpected reunion with her five-year-old self: a fearless, joyful girl whose presence never actually disappeared.
“The two of us heard those words. The two of us lost our hair. The two of us fought nausea until the early hours of the morning.”
Twelve years after diagnosis, Cassandra has found a different way of carrying what happened: making room for both gratitude and what hurts, for courage and kindness, for survival and the quality of the life being lived.
And after everything, she says:
“Twelve years ago, and I can still feel it all. And I choose love.”
Cassandra is a Registered Psychotherapist based in Ontario, Canada. She was diagnosed in 2013 at 28 with Stage II, triple negative breast cancer and the BRCA1+ genetic mutation. She integrates her lived experience of survivorship into her private practice, specializing in supporting adults and young adults affected by cancer as they navigate life during and beyond treatment. Cassandra loves travelling, red lipstick, dresses that twirl, and her sweet cat, Tony.
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Writing Prompts Inspired by Today’s Episode
Set your timer for eight minutes, write without stopping or editing yourself. There is magic in leaning into that time. The prompt is:
The version of me that survived…
Cassandra wrote about reconnecting with a younger version of herself—the fearless, joyful child she once was—and realizing that part of her had endured through everything. So, I invite you to write to the version of yourself that survived. Write about a part of yourself you found, perhaps after the deep thaw that Cassandra’s metaphor showed us. What did you find underneath it all that had survived? What younger version of yourself was still there?
This could be cancer, but it could also be a loss or life-changing event that created that snow for you. Picture them. Write about them. Write about meeting that version of yourself now. What do you want to understand about the part of you that survived? What did they give you that helped you endure?
If you find that you write best with a good prompt, check out our free prompts and learn about our writing workshops.
Happy writing! Until next time, take good care.
Episode Links
Read a transcript of this episode.
Purchase the 2026 “Survivorship” issue of Wildfire Journal.
More about our episode sponsor: AnaOno
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