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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 can take a few 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 many months in advance.

Current Website Submission Theme:

Side Effects That Weren’t Mentioned
*Submissions due Friday, April 17th, 2026

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:

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (September Magazine)
*Submissions due Friday, May 22nd

Website and Magazine Theme Descriptions:

Website Calls for Submissions:

Side Effects That Weren’t Mentioned

*Submissions due Friday, April 17th, 2026

  • Write about a physical, emotional, or mental side effect you experienced that no one warned you about. How did it impact your day-to-day life?
  • Write about a “hidden” side effect that others often don’t see or understand. How do you explain it to people?
  • Describe a side effect that appeared after treatment ended, and how it reshaped your understanding of survivorship.
  • Sometimes unexpected side effects can be absurd or funny. Write about one that, in hindsight, made you laugh or shake your head.
  • For the Caregivers: What unexpected side effects did you notice in the person you were supporting, or in yourself?

2026 Magazine Themes:

March Issue – My Body, My Story

*Submissions closed

June Issue – What Gets Us Through

*Submissions closed

September Issue – It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

*Submissions due Friday, May 22nd

  • What’s something you have struggled with that people couldn’t see? Write about what lives beneath the surface.
  • What does “being okay” even mean now? Has that definition changed? Explore what stability or healing looks like when life isn’t predictable.
  • Write about a time where you hid how you were really feeling – and why. Reflect on any potential external pressures to appear brave, “normal”, or put-together.
  • What has made you feel most alone during your experience? Identify the isolating aspects of your identity and mental health during / after cancer. 
  • What is something you wish you could tell another AYA going through a similar invisible struggle? Any advice, solidarity, or simply a “me too”?
  • Write a letter to yourself on a day when you’re not okay. What do you need to hear?
  • For the Caregivers: What are the emotional, mental, or unseen struggles you face as a caregiver that others may not understand? How do you navigate these challenges, and what would it look like to give yourself permission to not always be “the strong one”?

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*
Which of the following best fits you?*
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What is your gender?*

What is your sexual orientation?*
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What is your sexual orientation? (old)*

How do you racially identify yourself?*

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