AN OPEN LETTER THAT BURNS WITH LOVE, LEGACY, AND TRUTH
Gillian Lichota was diagnosed at 34 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.