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The Elephant in the Room is Cancer. Tea is the Relief Conversation Provides.

January, 18th 2025: Join us for food, drinks, dancing, and author sharing — all to support our mission. Learn more here!

Submitting Your Story

We appreciate your interest in sharing your story with the Elephants and Tea AYA (adolescent and young adult) cancer community!

Please read the guidelines below before submitting using the form at the bottom of this page.

Our Brand Director will reach out to you once your submission has been reviewed. Because of the influx of submissions we receive, this will take a minimum of two weeks.

Most articles submitted will be shared only on our website, as we post three articles a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Due to the amount of submissions we receive, articles are scheduled up to three months in advance.

Current Website Submission Theme:

Help vs. Support
*Submissions due Friday, December 5th, 2025

We have four quarterly print magazines that come out in March, June, September, and December. Each magazine issue adheres to a specific theme, and only submissions on those themes will be considered for the magazine. While we would love to include every submission in one of our magazines, we unfortunately are unable to do so. See below for the full list of magazine themes for the year.

Current Magazine Submission Theme:

 

Cancer & Finances (Special Edition)
*Submissions due Friday, January 30th

Website and Magazine Theme Descriptions:

Website Calls for Submissions:

 

Help vs. Support

*Submissions due Friday, December 5th, 2025

  • Write about a time someone tried to help you during your cancer experience, versus a time someone truly supported you. How did each feel different?
  • Describe a well-meaning gesture that didn’t actually meet your needs. What would real support have looked like in that moment?
  • Reflect on a time you had to tell someone exactly how they could support you. What did you learn about advocating for yourself?
  • Write about someone who couldn’t physically be with you but still found a meaningful way to support you.
  • How do you personally define the difference between “help” and “support” in the context of cancer?
  • For the Caregivers: As a caregiver, write about a time you struggled with wanting to do things to help versus simply be there.
 
 

The Lessons I’ve Learned

*Submissions due Friday, January 30th, 2026

  • What is one lesson cancer taught you that you never expected to learn so young?
  • Write about a moment when you thought you had reached your breaking point but discovered something new about your strength.
  • What has cancer taught you about control – or about the things you can’t control?
  • If you could share one thing you have learned with someone newly diagnosed, what would it be?
  • Write about a lesson that came from an unexpected place– maybe a stranger, a medical professional, etc.
  • For the Caregivers: As a caregiver, what lessons did you learn about love, limits, or resilience through supporting someone else?

2026 Magazine Themes:

March Issue – My Body, My Story

*Submissions closed


Cancer & Finances (Special Edition)

*Submissions due Friday, January 30th, 2026
*Choose one of the following categories to share your experience on

INSURANCE:

  • Tell us about the first time you had to deal with health insurance after your diagnosis. What did you wish you had known?
  • Have you ever had to fight for coverage, appeal a denial, or change insurance plans? What helped you through that process?
  • How did you learn to understand your insurance paperwork, bills, or “explanation of benefits”? What advice would you give to someone new to it?

NAVIGATING FINANCES/MEDICAL BILLS:

  • Describe a time when medical bills or financial stress felt overwhelming. What strategies or support helped you?
  • How has cancer changed the way you think about money, budgeting, or saving?
  • How did your financial situation affect your treatment choices or recovery?
  • Did you ever find unexpected financial help (a foundation, fundraiser, or hospital program)? Share how it worked for you.

SCHOOL AND CANCER:

  • How did your cancer diagnosis affect your education plans or daily school life?
  • What accommodations (like online learning, reduced schedules, or time off) made a difference for you?
  • How did you navigate returning to school after treatment?

WORK AND CANCER:

  • Tell us about your experience working during or after cancer treatment. What challenges did you face?
  • Did you disclose your diagnosis to your employer or coworkers? How did that decision affect your experience?
  • Have you taken medical leave, switched careers, or had to start over? What was that transition like?
  • If you had to take time off work, how did you keep paying your bills? Did you have access to disability insurance?
  • How did work give you purpose — or pressure — during your cancer journey?


LIFE TRANSITIONS:

  • Describe a major life transition (graduating, moving out, getting married, starting a family) that intersected with your cancer journey.
  • How did leaving your parents’ insurance or financial support affect your independence?
  • How has your perspective on adulthood, finances, or planning for the future changed because of cancer?


June Issue – COMING SOON

COMING SOON

September Issue – COMING SOON

COMING SOON

December Issue – COMING SOON

COMING SOON

Submission Requirements:

  • Suggested website submission word count: 500 – 1000 words
  • Suggested magazine submission word count: 1200 – 1500 words
  • Suggested Perkatory submissions word count: 1000 – 1200 words 
  • Poetry submissions of any word count are encouraged
Any questions? Click here to email Lisa Orr at content@elephantsandtea.org

Elephants and Tea is committed to representing the stories and experiences of all members of our herd. The following information is optional and collected only to inform the organization about who our audience is. Your responses to the following questions will not have any impact on your submission.

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Name*
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Have you written for Elephants and Tea before?*
Theme of article*