Introducing Our 55th Issue
LIVING WELL
Vol. 10, Issue No. 4
Aug / Sept 2025
Living well in the aftermath of breast cancer? Absolutely!
Finding joy in the small, everyday moments, rebuilding confidence in body and self, cultivating deeper relationships, new passions, or a sense of purpose… Above all, living well means realizing quality of life counts, too.
We asked our writers—the ones currently living with no evidence of disease as well as the ones learning to live alongside metastatic disease—to share their stories of transformation from diagnosis toward living deeply, beautifully and fully inspite of cancer. And they answered! With the essays, poems, and gorgeous photographs that allow us to vicariously walk a day in their shoes.
This issue is living proof that living well after diagnosis is available to us all.
Paper Copy Dimensions
133 full-color pages on premium paper
Book size: 4.25” x 5.5”
Also available in PDF starting Aug 23, 2025.
“Living well looks like saying yes to softness. Letting the phone go to voicemail. Opening my blinds. Eating the damn cake. Saying ‘no’ without apology.”
Our unique storytelling and thoughtful design put us in a category of our own.
The Living Well issue is for you if...
You’re redefining what living looks like after a cancer diagnosis—at any stage, from Stage 0 to IV.
You’ve questioned what “normal” even means now.
You believe healing isn’t just medical—it’s creative, emotional, and messy.
You’re holding both grief and joy in the same hand most days.
You want to hear real stories from people who are done pretending they’re “fine.”
You’re wondering how to reclaim your body as your own.
You’re sure that quality of life matters just as much.
You’ve ever felt guilt for outliving others.
You want to stop living in greyscale and experience life in tecnicolor again.
You’re choosing yourself, even when it’s hard.
You want to be reminded that living well doesn’t have to mean going back—it can mean becoming someone new.
Wildfire Journal is not your typical cancer magazine. Below you’ll find a sampling of real pages from within this beautiful 133-page book-ish issue.
“I don’t want to only live in grief and caution. I want to live in color again.”
Underwriter Support Provided by:
ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis; AnaOno; iRise Above Foundation; Young Survival Coalition, Liv & Let - Giv Shoppe; and Rethink Breast Cancer.
Meet Cover Star Julia Girmenia
Diagnosed at 33. Inflammatory breast cancer, Stage IV de novo, HER2+.
A proud Torontonian, Julia finds happiness in big and small adventures: wandering her city, discovering new eats, attending concerts, hopping on planes, getting lost, and soaking up time with family, friends, and her dog Choi. Julia is passionate about community, advocacy, and making space for real conversations about life with cancer—the messy, the beautiful, and everything in between.
“I went to Phuket [Thailand] for New Year's. It was wild. The beach was packed with tourists and locals coming together to celebrate the year we left behind and excitement for 2025. I prefer to ring in the new year in another country; always on the beach with fireworks, locals, and people from all over the world. This one was the best yet.
The fireworks went off for what felt like 30 minutes, and while looking up at the sky, the coast was lit with people celebrating, like one big family.
As I sat there looking up at the sky, staring at the moon, I reflected on being in a country with a rich history dating back 20,000 years, walking where so many have passed before me. There was a point where I didn’t think I’d ever make it here, to Thailand, Asia, or anywhere.
I need to enjoy life the way I want for as long as I can, and for those who can’t anymore. This trip set me back on track and reminded me I need to dream bigger and that I am living life the way I want.”
— Julia, “Thailand”
The “Living Well” Writers
The storytelling approach we take in each issue of Wildfire is deeply community-driven. Our contributors are young survivors, thrivers, and fighters, writing from inside the experience—not looking back from a comfortable distance. Each piece is curated to foster connection, validation, and a sense of belonging, ensuring that when you pick up Wildfire, you see reflections of your own fears, hopes, and transformations.
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Danielle Connor
Stay-at-home mom, former brand marketing executive, diagnosed at 48. IDC, Triple Negative.
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Vanessa Cuccurullo
Founder, Mrs. C. Botanicals. Two-time cancer survivor. Diagnosed at 20 and again at 48 with synovial sarcoma and IDC, ER+.
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Susan DiGregorio
Director of product at a real estate brokerage. Diagnosed at 37. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+.
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Kelley Franks
School social worker. Diagnosed at 36 and 41. IDC, Stage IIb, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.
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Carmela Giles
Diagnosed at 30. Stage III, Triple Negative, BRCA1+.
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Julia Girmenia
Nonprofit leader. Diagnosed at 33. Inflammatory breast cancer, Stage IV de novo, HER2+.
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Cheri Henderson
Diagnosed at 39 and 41. IDC, Stage IIIa, ER+, PR+ and then Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.
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Indira Layne
Diagnosed at 34. DCIS, Stage III, ER+.
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Gillian Lichota
Founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation. Diagnosed at 35 and 40. IDC, Stage III ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.
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Lisa Mannina-Sulzer
Assistant chief pilot, writer, public speaker, wellness advocate. Diagnosed at 38 and 42. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.
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Kelsey McLaughlin
Therapist. Diagnosed at 27. IDC, Stage III, ER+, PR+. Second diagnosis at 33, Stage I.
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Katie Murray
Therapeutic teacher. Diagnosed at 41. ILC, Stage II, ER+.
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Roxanne O’Connell
Head of programs for Equidem, a worker rights' nonprofit organization. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+.
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Chance Osborne
Diagnosed at 24. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative, BRCA1+.
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Lilly Ribner
Recovering corporate workaholic. Diagnosed at 37. IDC, Stage I, Triple Negative.
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Roxanne O'Connell
Head of programs for Equidem. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+.
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Kate Rowbotham
Professor and assistant dean. Diagnosed at 47. Inflammatory, Stage IV, HER2+, BRCA2, VUS.
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Keri Smith
Senior vocational rehabilitation counselor. Diagnosed at 37. IDC, Stage IV. ER+, PR+.
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Robby Spring
Patient advocate and partner. Diagnosed at 35. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+.
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Julia D. Tabisz
Journalist and editor. Diagnosed at 35. IDC,Stage II, Triple Negative.
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Faryn Wolff
Stay-at-home mom. Diagnosed at 30. IDC, de novo Stage IV, ER+, CHECK2.
“Living well means leaving space for what is still possible.”
Meet Guest Editor MJ DeCoteau
Founder of Rethink Breast Cancer
“There are many areas within the breast cancer experience that are so little understood or often misunderstood by the general public. The phase after initial diagnosis and treatment–“survivorship,” “thrivership,” figuring out how to live life after something like this and live it well–is definitely one of them. That’s why we were excited for Rethink Breast Cancer to team up with Wildfire once again as the guest editor for the debut of a new theme: Living Well.
When April, Wildfire’s founder, proposed this new theme, we were immediately all in.proposed this new theme, we were immediately all in.
We are giving voice to the whispers long had about this reality of life after cancer, finding meaning and living truly, authentically well.”
— MJ
At Wildfire, we are challenging the sterile, pink-washed narratives of traditional breast cancer media.
Each issue is a beautifully designed, book-quality collection of raw, moving, and visually rich personal essays, reflecting the reality of survivorship in all its complexity. By elevating the stories of those who have been marginalized in mainstream cancer conversations, we foster connection, advocacy, and a lasting legacy of truth-telling.
Our design philosophy is artful, immersive, and editorially rich. We blend evocative photography, bold typography, and modern layout design to create a reading experience that is both literary and visually compelling. This attention to aesthetics elevates the deeply personal narratives, reinforcing that breast cancer stories deserve the same level of artistry and care as any major literary publication.
Happy reading (and writing!).
— April Stearns, Founder & Editor-in-Chief
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