In her essay The Healing Is in the Living, published in Wildfire Magazine, Gillian Lichota reflects on her journey through breast cancer and the practices that sustain wholeness beyond survival. She explores embodiment, connection, truth-telling, sacred slowness, and radiance—not as luxuries, but as the foundation of healing. Through her own story and the heartbeat of iRise Above, she reminds young women that living well is not about returning to who we were, but rising into who we are becoming.

Gillian Lichota was diagnosed at 35 and 40—first with Stage III and later with Stage IV breast cancer. She is a mother, mountain climber, adventure travel enthusiast, and the founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting young women through breast cancer. In this episode, Gillian reads her essay “An Open Letter to My Daughter, Layke,” from the 2024 “Mothers & Daughters” issue of Wildfire Journal.

In this deeply moving interview on the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast, bestselling author and iRise Above Foundation CEO Gillian Lichota discusses her contribution, Butterfly, to Deserts to Mountaintops: The Pilgrimage of Motherhood. She shares her journey from Arctic marine scientist to mountain climber and breast cancer thriver, revealing how her experiences—from confronting imminent death to rising stronger—have fueled her mission to empower young women through the foundation.

In a tenderly written essay, Gillian Lichota, Founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, explains how for her, wisdom is forged by a combination of experience and reflection. She shares how being the mother of a daughter resurrected her soul, offering her the chance to (re)claim her power and heal the brokenness that once defined her. Motherhood became the catalyst for breaking free from the weight of her past, the shattered remnants of a life once held together by fragile, fractured pieces.

Gillian Lichota, Founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, shares her personal journey with metastatic breast cancer in a moving essay titled "Phoenix Rising" for Wildfire Magazine. In the piece, she eloquently describes the profound impact of her diagnosis as a young woman and the invaluable lessons she learned about vulnerability, acceptance, and healing.

Karla Mans Girous, host of The Radical Remission Project: Stories That Heal podcast, interviews Gillian Lichota, founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, about living and thriving with metastatic breast cancer. In this episode, Gillian shares her inspiring story about how facing imminent death revealed profound truths about living. The thought of dying from an incurable disease brought Gillian newfound clarity and alignment, illuminating a path to be broken open and transformed so she can live her most authentic self. Today, Gillian remains committed to her wellbeing, as well as her passion to empower, inspire and support young women to cultivate an outstanding quality of life during and after breast cancer.

What if your most challenging moments could lead to your greatest triumphs? In this heartfelt episode of "Test Those Breasts," podcast host Jamie Vaughn sits down with Gillian Lichota, founder and CEO of the iRise Above Foundation, to talk about her breast cancer journey, lessons learned, and her passion and purpose in life. This episode is a testament to the power of community, the necessity of self-care, and the unwavering spirit of women who refuse to let cancer define their lives. Join us for an inspiring conversation that celebrates bravery, transformation, and the support that binds us all.

In a podcast conversation with Warrior Words Heather Gaffney, , Gillian Lichota, Founder and Leader of the iRise Above Foundation, bravely shared her deeply personal journey through breast cancer. She opened up about the invaluable lessons she learned during her experience and how they inspired her to establish a foundation dedicated to empowering, supporting, and inspiring young women to cultivate an outstanding quality of life, during and after breast cancer.

In a conversation with LBBC.org’s Robin Warshaw 10 years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, Gillian Lichota discusses the choices she’s made regarding treatment, her metastatic recurrence, parenthood, and more.

WATCH: After two years of dealing with breast cancer and its aftermath, @kristendahlgren introduces us to iRise Above Breast Cancer, a group that helps survivors find adventure, community and inspiration.

Two years since first sharing her breast cancer diagnosis on TODAY, NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren opens up about complications with her reconstruction and multiple surgeries.

It’s October. You’ve probably noticed the proliferation of hot pink and news stories about breast cancer. A few years ago, I was aware of breast cancer. But in reality, I thought it was…

It’s October. You’ve probably noticed the proliferation of hot pink and news stories about breast cancer. A few years ago, I was aware of breast cancer. But in reality, I thought it was…

"Cancer is not linear," wrote NBC correspondent Kristen Dahlgren of her road to recovery.