Introducing Our 57th Issue
METAMORPHOSIS
Vol. 10, Issue No. 6
Dec 2025 / Jan 2026
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” - Maya Angelou
Metamorphosis is the newest theme from Wildfire Journal and the final in our 10th anniversary collection. It is a powerful theme exploring the transformations - both subtle and seismic - that happen during and after a breast cancer diagnosis. We invited our writers to reflect on the ways their lives, bodies, relationships, or sense of self has shifted, or perhaps remained surprisingly the same. Whether leaning into change or hold tightly to who they were before, these are the missing conversations in Cancerland.
This one-of-a-kind beautiful issue leans toward hope while honoring the fear, uncertainty, and courage that often fuel or complicate the process of change.
Paper Copy Dimensions
115 full-color pages on premium paper
Book size: 4.25” x 5.5”
Also available as a dynamic digital download.
“Metamorphosis isn’t a moment but a constant condition.”
Our unique storytelling and thoughtful design put us in a category of our own.
The Metamorphosis issue is for you if...
Cancer has changed you, and you no longer fully recognize who you were before.
You’re beginning to sense that cancer may be a path back to remembering — and listening to — the child of long ago buried deep inside.
You’ve gained clarity about what truly matters in life, and have mourned what that clarity has cost.
You crave honest stories that go beyond inspiration and into lived truth.
You believe transformation doesn’t mean erasing the past, but learning how to carry it.
You’re still figuring it out — and want stories from the messy middle.
Wildfire Journal is not your typical cancer magazine. Below you’ll find a sampling of real pages from within this beautiful book-ish issue.
“I can say ‘imperfect’ and mean whole… I can say ‘healthy’ and mean a thousand complicated versions of my body that others might call sick.”
Underwriter Support Provided by:
Elephants and Tea | ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis | AnaOno | Elizabeth Hodges | iRise Above Foundation Young Breast Cancer Project | Young Survival Coalition
Meet Guest Editor & Cover Star
Lisa Orr
Diagnosed in 2019 at 31. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative, BRIP1, RAD51D.
Lisa will be a seven-year triple-negative breast cancer survivor on January 3rd, 2026, who has found passion in helping other young adults navigate a cancer diagnosis. She is a brand manager for Elephants and Tea, an ambassador for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, and is the creator and host of the Don’t Call It a Journey and AYA Cancer: Unfiltered podcasts (both streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify). Lisa resides in Reading, Massachusetts with her husband, two sons (ages 10 and 8), and their Fox Red Labrador, Birdie. In her free time, she loves to write, cook, travel, and spend time with her friends and family.
“Six years ago, I found a lump in my breast that changed everything. I was a 31-year-old with no family history of cancer, a 3-year-old and 1-year-old in tow, and suddenly I was navigating the chaos of triple negative breast cancer. Cancer didn’t just happen to my body - it cracked open my entire life. Since then, everything has shifted. My career path veered into something more aligned with who I am now. My priorities got sharper. I’ve learned to say no, to protect my peace, to hold close to the people and things that truly matter to me. This clarity is a gift, but it comes with a cost.
Alongside all the transformation - some of it beautiful, some of it necessary, all of it scary - there’s the shadow that never fully leaves. The fear. The anxiety. The loss of that easy, unquestioning sense of health and safety. I have changed, absolutely. But part of that change is learning to carry both light and darkness at once, to move forward while still feeling the weight of what I have been through. That is my metamorphosis.”
— Lisa
The “Metamorphosis” 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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Anita Archer
Diagnosed in 2021 at 27. DCIS, ER+, PR+, BRCA1 VUS.
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Margie Day
College Professor, Health Educator, Coffee Fueled Optimist. Diagnosed in 2015 at 45. IDC, Stage II, ER+.
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Laura Everly
Director. Diagnosed at 44. IDC, Stage I, ER+, PR+. Current Lines of Treatment: endocrine therapy.
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Beth Gainer
Writer, Artist, Parent. Diagnosed in 2001 at 39. IDC, Stage I, ER+.
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Shannon Gottesman
Professional Fundraiser and Teacher of Philanthropy. Diagnosed in 2023 at 40. IDC, Stage III, ER+, PR+. Current Lines of Treatment: Verzenio, Arimidex.
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Sasha Granneman
Mom, Health Coach, volunteer Chronic Conditions and Pain Facilitator. Diagnosed in 2018 at 41. Stage IV, ER+, PR+. Diagnosed in 2021 with PIK3CA Mutation. Current Lines of Treatment: Fulvestrant (Faslodex) and Capivasertib (Truqap).
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Erin Guendelsberger
Writer, Mother, Wife, Communications Director. Diagnosed in 2021 at 42. IDC, Stage III. ER+, PR+. Current Lines of Treatment: Letrozole (in the control group for a clinical trial for a new medication).
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Cheri Henderson
Diagnosed in 2019 at 39, IDC, Stage IIIa, ER+, PR+. Diagnosed in 2021 at 41, Stage IV, ER+, PR+, HER2 low. Current Lines of Treatment: Enhertu every 5 weeks, and just completed a 35th cycle!
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Jill Aki Hrycyk
Policy Planner. Diagnosed at 41. IDC Stage II, ER+, PR+. Current Lines of Treatment: Aromatase inhibitor (Arimidex) and CDK4 inhibitor (Kisquali).
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Adrienne Holland Hubbard
Writer, Artist, Mother of two. Diagnosed in 2022 at 35. ILC, Stage I, Triple Positive. Current Lines of Treatment: Letrozole.
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Bethaney Kaye
Non-Profit Medical Director. Diagnosed in 2019 at 37. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative.
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Lorie Kolak
Diagnosed at 41. IDC, Stage II, ER+, PR+, pK71+.
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Reky Martha
Diagnosed at 38. IDC, postpartum Stage IV de novo, HER2+, and Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Current Lines of Treatment: second-line medication (Enhertu) and targeted chemo every three weeks.
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Ellen Nadarajah
Former Senior Advisor, Public Health Program Administration. Diagnosed at 39 and 51. ILC, Stage III, ER+, PR+, and then Stage IV.
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Lisa Orr
Brand Director, Elephants and Tea. Diagnosed in 2019 at 31. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative, BRIP1, RAD51D.
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Erin Perkins
Stay-at-Home Parent, Young Breast Cancer Project working Board of Directors. Diagnosed in 2021 at 34. IDC, Stage II, Triple Negative.
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Lilly Ribner
Recovering Corporate Workaholic. Diagnosed at 37. IDC, Stage I, Triple Negative.
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Lauren Tarpley
Diagnosed at 34. IDC, Stage II, HER2+.
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Sydney Rose Taylor
Collage Artist. Diagnosed in 2025 at 36. IBC, IDC and ILC. Stage III, HER2+. Current lines of treatment: radiation and Kadcyla.
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Victoria Varvel
Firefighter Engineer and Hazardous Materials Specialist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Diagnosed at 29. Triple Negative.
“I always feared the color red. I never wanted to be seen... My legacy is to document this beauty and highlight that it can be found in any one of us if we are willing to be vulnerable.”
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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