In this episode you are going to hear a collection of short pieces we are dubbing “Flash Memoir” from our archives. These are little gems we’ve published in Wildfire Journal, read for you by April Stearns. We have nine years of published stories in our archives that are just too good not to share. In the past we used to do a call for submissions for short-form stories with a very specific prompt in mind. We would get back some very impactful bite-size vignettes – not long enough to be a full essay. This collection of dense and sparkling flash memoir pieces comes from our 2017 “Body” issue of Wildfire Journal. The writing prompt was, “What were your surgery experiences?” with pieces written by Vicky Finch, Maegan Molnar, Libby, Riley and Laurie.
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More From The Burn
Second-time guest Katie Murray joins The Burn to share her story of being diagnosed at 41 with Stage II invasive lobular breast cancer. A writer, teacher, and mother of four, Katie reads her essay “Sleeping Snakes and the Lake” from the 2025 Living Well issue of Wildfire Journal.
Her piece offers a meditation on healing—not the kind defined by treatment end dates or clean scans, but the slow, quiet kind that arrives unexpectedly years later, in moments as small and tender as noticing baby eyelashes. Liz and Katie discuss healing versus recovery, the pressure of timelines, hope, and the shame Katie carried about her cancer diagnosis.
Liz McFarland was diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer at 39. A realtor and proud Choice Mom to two young adults, Liz joins this episode to read her essay “Ready for Battle” from the 2025 Body issue of Wildfire Journal.
Her piece explores beauty and body image, the lasting impact of middle school shame, and the complicated realities of silicone, surgery, sensation, and sagging. At its heart, it’s about vulnerability — about what happens when we stop pretending to be warriors and simply tell the truth.
Liz and April discuss the need to control the small things during cancer, how adolescent experiences shape our emotional terrain, the persistence of body shame, and what survivorship looks like for Liz now, 13 years after diagnosis.
Dana Donofree was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at age 27. She is a survivor, advocate, and the founder of AnaOno, an intimate apparel brand designed to support those affected by breast surgery and reconstruction. Dana is also the longtime guest editor of Wildfire Journal’s annual Body issue.
In this episode, April welcomes Dana back for her third appearance on The Burn. Together, they reflect on a Cancerland retrospective, exploring topics such as unpopular opinions in breast cancer, the role of AnaOno, and what it means to feel sexy at any age. They also discuss Dana’s continued commitment to guest editing the Body issue of Wildfire Journal, her insights on working and advocating within the cancer space, and the ongoing challenges of survivorship.
