Dick Westheimer lives in rural southwest Ohio. He is winner of the
2023 Joy Harjo Poetry Prize, a Rattle Poetry Prize finalist, and a Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee. His poems have appeared or upcoming in Whale Road Review, Rattle, OneArt, Abandon Journal, Stone Poetry Quarterly, and Minyan. His chapbook, A Sword in Both Hands, Poems Responding to Russia’s War on Ukraine, is published by SheilaNaGig. More at www.dickwestheimer.com
Peggy Shumaker’s upcoming book is called still water carving light (Red Hen Press). Her lyrical memoir Just Breathe Normally chronicles her recovery after a life-changing wreck. She is deeply grateful to the doctors, nurses, techs, and staff whose care allowed her to heal and thrive.
By Alexander Antigua Made
Alex is a third-year medical student at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. He plans to specialize in Diagnostic Radiology with interests in Breast, Pediatrics, and Interventional Radiology. In his spare time, he enjoys board games, movies, and reading.
Kate Koplow is an essayist and poet from Concord, Massachusetts. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, as she finishes up her degree in Comparative Literature at Occidental College. Kate is most interested in writing about chronic illness, mental health, and philosophy.
Pamela Ahlen is Special Events Coordinator for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dartmouth. She compiled and edited Osher’s Anthology of Poets and Writers: Celebrating Twenty-Five Years at Dartmouth and is the author of the chapbook Gather Every Little Thing (Finishing Line Press) and the co-author (with Anne Bower) of Getting it Down on Paper, Shaping a Friendship (Orchard Street Press).
Evelyn M. Potochny, DO, is a physician and former U.S. Navy medical officer living in Pennsylvania. Her work appears in Families, Systems & Health, Hektoen International: A Journal Of Medical Humanities, and Proud to Be: Writing By American Warriors.
Patricia Cannon has been a Registered Nurse at UCSF since 2001. She has worked in cardiac critical care, neuro intensive care, hemeoncology, school nursing, and currently, in research. Her passion is her faith, photography, and the written word in all its forms. Flight: A Letter to My Stepfather was originally published by Coverstory Books by Ian Gouge.
Sister Lou Ella Hickman, OVISS has published many poems and articles. Her book of poetry entitled, she: robed and wordless was published in 2015 by Press 53. She lives in Corpus Christie, Texas.
Jane Schapiro is the author of three volumes of poetry and a nonfiction book. Her poems have appeared in numerous health-related journals including Ars-Medica, The Healing Muse,and JAMA.
Flavian Mark Lupinetti, a poet, fiction writer, and cardiac surgeon, received his MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. His work has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, december, Redivider, Sheila-Na-Gig, and ZYZZYVA. Mark lives in New Mexico.