Submitting Your Story

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. All submissions not selected for a magazine will be published to our website.

Current Magazine Submission Theme:

Blood Cancer Special Edition (Sponsored by Syndax)
*Submissions due Friday, August 14th

Living Alongside Uncertainty (December Magazine)
*Submissions due Friday, September 11th

Website and Magazine Theme Descriptions:

Website Calls for Submissions:

Navigating Loss

*Submissions due Friday, June 12th, 2026

What is a loss you’ve experienced during your cancer experience that others might not immediately recognize as “loss”? How has it shaped you or impacted you?
Reflect on something you used to be able to do, dream about, or count on before cancer that feels out of reach now or more challenging to obtain. What emotions come up when you think about that shift?
Write to the version of yourself who has lived through loss. What would you want them to know, to remember, or to release?
How does grief walk beside you in daily life? Does it whisper, shout, or sit quietly in the corner? What is it like to recognize or allow grief into the spaces with you?
For the Caregivers: Reflect on the losses you’ve experienced as a caregiver: loss of normalcy, time, energy, or even aspects of your relationship with your loved one. How have you navigated these losses, and what has helped you cope or find meaning in the midst of them?

When the World Moves On (Perkatory Event)

*Submissions due Friday, September 25th

Describe a moment when you felt like the world around you kept moving but you didn’t. What was that like? Reflect on feelings of isolation, stagnation, or disconnect.
How has cancer shaped who you are, in ways that others might not see or understand? Explore identity shifts that might feel invisible to the outside world.
What does it feel like when you watch others move forward with their lives? Explore emotions like jealousy, sadness, hope, or determination.
How has cancer changed your relationship with time? Have your expectations for yourself or for others evolved?
For the Caregivers: As a caregiver, reflect on moments when it felt like life around you –friends, work, or society – kept moving while you were caught up in cancer care. How did/does that affect you emotionally, and how did/do you navigate feeling out of sync with the world?

The Perception of Cancer

*Submissions due Friday, October 30th

What’s an assumption people make about you because you have (or had) cancer? Reflect on how that has (or hasn’t) shaped your experience?
Have you ever felt misunderstood or misrepresented by the way society portrays cancer—through media, fundraising, or everyday conversations? Write about a moment that stands out.
How do cultural, religious, or generational perspectives influence the way others respond to your diagnosis?
Do you ever feel invisible in the cancer narrative (too young, too healthy-looking, too rare)? Tell that story.
Imagine writing a letter to society titled “This is what you get wrong about cancer.” What would you say?
For the Caregivers: As a caregiver, reflect on how others perceive your loved one’s cancer experience. What assumptions, stereotypes, or societal narratives have you noticed people applying to them–or to you? How have these perceptions affected the way you care, advocate, or interact with the world?

Magazine Calls for Submissions:

Blood Cancer Special Edition – Sponsored by Syndax

*Submissions due Friday, August 14th

Blood Cancer Diagnosis

Describe the moment you first heard words like leukemia, lymphoma, or blood cancer.
Did you know anything about blood cancers before being diagnosed?
What would you tell another young adult newly diagnosed with blood cancer?
What symptoms did you dismiss before your diagnosis?

Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplants

Do you celebrate a “re-birthday” or transplant anniversary? Tell us what that day means to you and how you choose to honor it.
Write about transplant isolation and how it affected you emotionally.
If you experienced GVHD, how has it shaped your life or identity?
Write a letter to your donor, whether you know them or not.

Blood, Needles, and Hospital Life

What became “normal” during treatment that should never feel normal?
Describe the experience of frequent blood draws, transfusions, or scans.
What memories stand out from long hospital stays?

Immunocompromised Living

Describe the emotional impact of constantly needing to protect yourself from illness.
What do people misunderstand about being immunocompromised? Has your relationship with safety, germs, or public spaces changed?

The Long Haul / Survivorship

How do you navigate fear of relapse or recurrence?
What late effects or lasting impacts do you continue to carry?

Caregiving & Support Systems

How did your relationships change while navigating blood cancer?
What support did you need most but struggled to ask for?
Write about someone who consistently showed up for you.
What conversations were difficult to have, but necessary?

December Issue – Living Alongside Uncertainty

*Submissions due Friday, September 11th

Write about things that people don’t understand about living with uncertainty. Give voice to the invisible mental load that young adult cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers carry.
What does uncertainty feel like to you — in your body, in your emotions, and in your thoughts? How do you notice it showing up day to day?
Finish this sentence: “I wish I knew…” What are the unanswered questions that keep returning?
How do you make plans when nothing feels certain? Explore how cancer has changed your approach to the future– short term or long term.
What helps you feel grounded when everything feels up in the air? Describe something or someone that made you feel certain or safe, even just for a moment.
Write a letter to your past self. What would you say about the unknown ahead?
For the caregivers: Reflect on the uncertainty you face while supporting your loved one (uncertainty about their health, the future, or your role) How does this uncertainty affect you emotionally and practically? What strategies or insights help you carry this weight day to day?

Submitting Your Story

Website and Magazine Theme Descriptions:

Submission Requirements:

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