Introducing Our 54th Issue

9th Annual BODY ISSUE

Vol. 10 Issue No. 3

June / July 2025

Our annual flagship issue is here! Dana Donofree, the founder and CEO of AnaOno Intimates, is back as our guest editor for a fifth year!

As always, this incredibly popular and poignant issue covers all the body-related concerns and preoccupations that a breast cancer diagnosis brings. We asked our writers to contemplate normalcy after diagnosis & what their bodies are living proof of now. And they delivered! From breast changes, to hair, to body image issues, to the physical symptoms of early menopause and treatment or surgery, and beyond, this big issue covers it all in moving & raw essays and poetry, and in beautiful artwork.

Paper Copy Dimensions

135 full-color pages on premium paper

Book size: 4.25” x 5.5”

Also available in PDF form.

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Each Wildfire issue is unique. This issue features 26 writers representing these specific breast cancer demographics:

Diagnosis ages: 20s, 30s, 40s, and early 50s | Breast cancer types: DCIS, IDC, and Lobular | Stages: 0 - IV
Receptors: ER/PR+, HER2+, TNBC, and Triple Positive | Single & multiple diagnoses

Contributors:

A Quiet Truce by Brynn Barale | This Body, Still Here by Vanessa Cuccurullo| Rose-Colored Glasses by Susan Danenberger | The Cancer Made Me Do It & Marked by Cancer by Britt Fairchild | Flying Free by Christy Fennewald | Diagnosis by Beth Gainer | Comparison, Comments, and Coming Home to My Body by Molly Gaynor | Adorable Aggression: Normalizing Fierce Love for Your Body by Jennifer Gordon | The Body I Didn’t Choose — and the Life I Fought For by Christy Greenleaf | The Pink Swim Cap and The Cloudy Day by Jess Heitman | Mirror Mirror by Cheri Henderson | The Weight of the Situation by Debbie Kerr | Reflection by Kathia Kerr | This Version of Me by Keneene Lewis | Heat by Melisa Lundgren | Ready for Battle by Liz McFarland | Be bold. Be beautiful. Be confident. by Hannah Morales | A Little Yellow Journal by Kathleen Moss | Body of Work by Michelle Mullet | Undone by Roxanne O’Connell | Forged in Frailty by Melissa K. Rosen | No Evidence of Disease by Sarah Roth | Every. Single. One. Of Us. by Cherie Sampson

Underwriter Support Provided by:

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis; AnaOno; Bright Spot Network; Fierce, FLAT, Forward; iRise Above Foundation; Meadow; Pink Warrior Angels; The Busted Tank; Young Breast Cancer Project; Young Survival Coalition, Young Womens Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation

Meet Cover Star, Nikole Lutteroty

Diagnosed with IDC, Stage III HER2.

“When I should have been savoring the magic of the holiday season with my one- and three-year-old children, I was instead facing the unimaginable. Just days before Christmas, I found myself preparing for the fight of my life—a year-long battle against Stage III HER2 Positive breast cancer. While other families were wrapping gifts and making memories, I was wrapping my head around the reality of six grueling rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, 25 rounds of radiation, and months of continued immunotherapy.

It was a time filled with fear and uncertainty, yet also marked by a fierce determination to be present for my children, even in the smallest ways. Every treatment, every scan, every hard day was endured with them in mind. I wasn’t just fighting cancer—I was fighting for my motherhood, for the everyday moments that mattered most. That year didn’t look anything like I had imagined, but it taught me what it means to be strong, to be vulnerable, and to hold onto hope even in the darkest moments.”

“The Wildfire cover shot represents so much more than just a photo—it’s a bold, unapologetic reflection of my journey, my strength, and my decision to embrace my body after a double mastectomy and flat closure. Being asked to pose for AnaOno, a brand that truly honors all bodies after breast cancer, felt incredibly empowering. It was the first time since my diagnosis that I stood in front of a camera not to hide, but to be fully seen—scars and all.

Seeing that photo now on the cover brings a flood of emotions. I feel proud, powerful, and deeply honored to represent a flat closure in such a visible and dignified way. If this image reaches even one person and helps them feel less alone or more confident in their own body, and know that they have options, then it’s done more than I ever could have hoped.”

— Nikki

Photos by Becky Yee Photography for AnaOno

The Issue 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.

  • Brynn Barale

    RN, holistic health coach. Diagnosed at 26. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+.

  • Vanessa Cuccurullo

    Founder, Mrs. C. Botanicals (launching 2025). Two-time cancer survivor. Diagnosed at 20 and again at 48 with synovial sarcoma and IDC, ER+.

  • Susan Danenberger

    Winemaker/owner, Danenberger Family Vineyards. Diagnosed at 48 and 50. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.

  • Dana Donofree

    Founder of AnaOno. Diagnosed at 27. IDC, Stage I, HER2+. ISSUE GUEST EDITOR

  • Britt Fairchild

    Technical writer. Diagnosed at 39. DCIS, Stage III, HER2+, BRCA2.

  • Christy Fennewald

    Makerspace specialist. Diagnosed at 36. IDC with both ductal and lobular features, Stage II, ER+, PR+.

  • Beth Gainer

    Writer, Artist. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage I, ER+.

  • Molly Gaynor

    Diagnosed at 33. Stage II, Triple Negative.

  • Jennifer Gordon

    Writer, artist, coach. Diagnosed at 44. Stage II.

  • Christy Greenleaf

    Speaker, mentor. Diagnosed at 42. Stage I, Triple Positive.

  • Jess Heitman

    Pediatric occupational therapist. Diagnosed at 38 with IDC and DCIS, Stage IIb, ER+, PR+.

  • Cheri Henderson

    Diagnosed at 39 and 41. IDC, Stage IIIa, ER+, PR+ and then Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low.

  • Debbie Kerr

    Business systems consultant. Diagnosed at 49. DCIS and IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+.

  • Kathia Kerr

    Homemaker. Diagnosed at 50. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+.

  • Keneene Lewis

    Director of admissions and recruitment. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage III, ER+, PR+.

  • Melisa Lundgren

    Medically retired. Diagnosed at 37. ILC, Stage III, ER+, PR+, Check2, extensive lymphovascular invasion 37+.

  • Liz McFarland

    Realtor. Diagnosed at 39. DCIS and IDC, Stage II, HER2+.

  • Hannah Morales

    Diagnosed at 34. IDC, Stage III, Triple Positive.

  • Kathleen Moss

    Nutritionist and spiritual director. Diagnosed at 48 and 49. DCIS, ER+, and then ILC, Stage I.

  • Michelle Mullet

    Artist. Diagnosed at 51. DCIS, Stage 0, Comedo Necrosis, ER+.

  • Roxanne O'Connell

    Head of programs for Equidem. Diagnosed at 39. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+.

  • Melissa K. Rosen

    Patient advocate, poet. Diagnosed at 47. IDC, Stage II, ER+.

  • Sarah Roth

    Genetic counselor and PhD student. Diagnosed at 33. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+, BRCA1.

  • Cherie Sampson

    Professor of art and artist. Diagnosed at 53. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative, BRCA1.

Meet Guest Editor, Dana Donofree

Founder of AnaOno. Diagnosed at 27. IDC, Stage I, HER2+.

“I’m so proud to sponsor WILDFIRE’s Body issue. It means everything to me to be part of a space that celebrates the many truths of our bodies—the strength, the pain, the transformation, and the beauty.

We’ve come a long way in how we talk about bodies after cancer, but we still have so much further to go. The stories we tell, the images we share, the conversations we spark—they matter. They move the needle, and they remind us that we are not alone.

To those reading this: thank you for being here. For fighting, for surviving, for remembering, for showing up for yourself and for others. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or decades out—your experience matters. Let’s keep pushing forward, celebrating each other, and lifting up every voice in this community. I believe we’re just getting started.”

— Dana

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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