In this conversation, April shares her personal journey through breast cancer, discussing her diagnosis at a young age, the challenges she faced during treatment, and the importance of community support. She emphasizes the healing power of expressive writing and the need for early detection and awareness among young women. April also addresses the role of healthcare providers, the impact of cancer on career and leadership, and the significance of mentorship in navigating these challenges. The discussion highlights the emotional aspects of the cancer journey, including grief and loss, and concludes with recommendations for resources and support for those affected by cancer.
April Johnson Stearns is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Wildfire Magazine & Writing Community.
A lifelong writer who landed her first memoir-based magazine cover story at just 16, April worked for her college newspaper (“City on the Hill” at the University of California at Santa Cruz) and then went on to work for her local newspaper (The Sentinel, Santa Cruz, CA) following graduation. Before long, she was lured to other writing jobs “over the hill” from Santa Cruz in Silicon Valley during the tech boom of the early 2000s.
However, in 2012, in the midst of this career, April was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at age 35. Four years later, while struggling to “go back to normal” and find others in similar circumstances, April launched WILDFIRE Magazine & Writing Community as a way for younger people to tell and read breast cancer stories.
Since 2016, April has guided hundreds of writers through the Wildfire writing workshops and published more than 45 issues of Wildfire Magazine.
April believes strongly that helping others tell their stories has the dramatic effect of turning a traumatic cancer experience into an empowering one. April lives with her husband and young daughter in Santa Cruz. Although she loves town life, she also likes to get away from all the hustle and bustle whenever she can to hike in the woods, but writing memoir remains April’s purest escape.
April’s book:
Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope, and Humor From Inside Today's Young Breast Cancer Community (anthology)
Books/podcasts for writing your story:
- The Power of Writing it Down by Alison Fallon (book)
- How to Tell a Story by The Moth (book)
- Speak Up (podcast)
- Writing Class Radio (podcast)
Get In Touch With April:
- wildfirecommunity.org
- IG/Threads: @wildfire_bc_magazine
- Facebook: wildfirecommunity
Email: editor@wildfirecommunity.org
Books & Podcasts Recommendations:
