If you or someone you love has experienced cancer as an adolescent or young adult, you know how isolating and lonely it can feel. The elephant in the room is cancer, and tea is the relief that conversation provides. Here, we will bring the pages of Elephants and Tea Magazine to life – having tough conversations about the realities of going through cancer as an adolescent or young adult. We hope that despite what you are going through, you find comfort knowing that you are not alone and that there is a "herd" of people here for you who truly get it.
In this episode, Steve and Lisa wrap up season 2 of the podcast by sharing what cancer has taught each of them. We reflect on another incredible season, how much the "Dear Cancer" issue of our magazine means to us, and more about what's coming next... For more relatable content, visit our website To read the June issue of Elephants and Tea magazine, click here To subscribe to receive our free magazine and our weekly newsletter, click here
If you haven't already, listen to part 1 of this episode as Summer Konechny reads her piece entitled: "A Love Letter to My Cancer", from our June issue of Elephants and Tea Magazine. In this episode you will hear an in-depth interview with her! Visit our website for more relatable content! To read more incredible work from Summer, visit: ChatGPT Has Let Me Down- Suffering Influencer (Substack) My Badly Behaved Kitten Showed Me Life Was Worth Living - The Globe and Mail An Around The Province Coffee Guide- British Columbia Magazine
Listen in as Summer Konechny reads her piece entitled: "A Love Letter to My Cancer", from our June issue of Elephants and Tea Magazine. Be sure to tune into part 2 of this episode to hear an in-depth interview with Summer! Visit our website for more relatable content! To read more incredible work from Summer, visit: ChatGPT Has Let Me Down- Suffering Influencer (Substack) My Badly Behaved Kitten Showed Me Life Was Worth Living - The Globe and Mail An Around The Province Coffee Guide- British Columbia Magazine
In this episode, you will hear an interview with Lisa Orr and Jenny Jones. Jenny will share more about her experience with cancer, her strong bonds with her family, on the anger she feels, but also how she has found acceptance through her journey. Click here to read Jenny's story in our latest magazine issue! Visit Jenny's website to learn more about her advocacy Follow Jenny on Instagram @lifesapolyp
In this episode, you will hear Jenny Jones read her incredible article: "Dear Cancer: My Visitor" from our June issue. Be sure to tune into part 2 of this episode to hear more about Jenny and her story! Click here to read Jenny's story in our latest magazine issue! Visit Jenny's website to learn more about her advocacy Follow Jenny on Instagram @lifesapolyp
Listen in as Lisa Orr interviews Becky about her experiences with ovarian cancer and her inspiration for writing this amazing piece for our Dear Cancer magazine. Click here to read more relatable content on our website! Reach out and connect with Becky by emailing her at BeingBecky.oc@gmail.com
Listen in as Becky shares her powerful poem entitled: "Dear Cancer: Hiding". Be sure to listen to part 2 of this episode where Lisa Orr interviews Becky about her experiences with ovarian cancer and her inspiration for writing this amazing piece for our Dear Cancer magazine. Click here to read more relatable content on our website! Reach out and connect with Becky by emailing her at BeingBecky.oc@gmail.com
Tune in as Cody and Lisa discuss how comforting routine can be when dealing with a cancer diagnosis! Cody shares more about his experience with clinical trials, and he talks about the amazing support he has found through various organizations in the AYA community. Cody's story is relatable and he was so fun to chat with. To read more relatable stories, visit elephantsandtea.com Follow Cody on Instagram @codyhatescancer
Hear Cody read his letter to cancer: "Dear Cancer: You're Finally Behaving". Be sure to tune into the next episode to listen to a more in depth interview with Cody! To read more relatable stories, visit elephantsandtea.com Follow Cody on Instagram @codyhatescancer
In this episode, you will hear a deep conversation between Lauren and Lisa about accepting the unknown when it comes to facing cancer as a young adult. They will discuss shared experiences as well as the difficulties of looking ahead. For more relatable content, visit elephantsandtea.com To connect with Lauren, follow her on Instagram @LMLpatterson
Listen as author Lauren Patterson reads her letter to cancer entitled, "Dear Cancer: On Valentine's Day". Be sure to listen to the next episode as well to hear an in-depth interview with Lauren! For more relatable content, visit elephantsandtea.com To connect with Lauren, follow her on Instagram @LMLpatterson
Listen to bladder cancer survivor, Liz Hiles, share more about her personal cancer experience, hear us discuss the importance of finding your community, advocating for yourself (and your people), and finding joy in every day. We discuss why we should all know our own bodies and she shares experiences she has had with medical professionals that will make your jaw drop! Follow Liz at @mirletaliz on Instagram. Other ways to connect with Liz: Liz's Link Tree Greater Cincinnati Ostomy Association Bladdercancer.net To read more relatable content, please visit elephantsandtea.com
In this episode, you will hear author Liz Hiles read her letter to cancer entitled: "Dear Cancer: How Dare You!?". Please listen in for part 2 where you will hear an in-depth interview with Liz about her cancer experience and her feelings towards navigating cancer. For more relatable content, visit elephantsandtea.com
In this episode, you will hear Amy, a Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor, share about her experiences with cancer. You will also hear her share more about some of the powerful lines in her letter to cancer. If you have not already, be sure to listen to the prior episode to hear her letter. To connect with Amy, you can follow her on Instagram @amyreding To read more relatable content, visit elephantsandtea.com
In this episode, you will hear Amy Reding read her letter to cancer titled: "Dear Cancer, A Breakup Letter". Be sure to tune into the next episode to hear an interview with Amy. To connect with Amy, you can find her on Instagram @amyreding To read more relatable content, visit elephantsandtea.com
In today's episode, you will hear an interview between Lisa Orr and Tameka Johnson. Tameka is a Stage 4 breast cancer thriver who shares her story in such a vulnerable way. In this podcast, Tameka shares many beautiful truths about what she has learned along the way, giving advice to those who are experiencing cancer as well. www.elephantsandtea.com
In this introduction episode to season 2, you will hear Steven and Lisa chat about WHY we dedicate an entire magazine issue to the idea of writing a letter to cancer! This incredible issue of our magazine will be out soon! Not already subscribed to receive it? It's free! Subscribe here: Subscribe - Elephants and Tea
Listen in as Steven and Lisa reflect on the incredible articles and author interviews from season one! You will hear them share about what particularly resonated with them, and what they are looking forward to next season! www.elephantsandtea.com
*This is part 2 of a 2-part episode, please be sure to listen to part 1 before listening to this interview* Laura Dekraker Lang-Ree is a cancer mom, educator, and advocate for parents of kids in crisis, helping them navigate big and small medical emergencies. As an editor and consultant with Stanford Children's Hospital and a writer, educator, and editor for Cancer Parent Publications, Laura's goal is to empower families in the trenches to lead their best life, even amidst trauma. To learn more about Laura's work visit her website: Home | Thru The Fire (lauradekrakerlang-ree.com) To read more relatable stories, please visit Home - Elephants and Tea
*This is part 1 of a 2-part episode* Laura Dekraker Lang-Ree is a cancer mom, educator, and advocate for parents of kids in crisis, helping them navigate big and small medical emergencies. As an editor and consultant with Stanford Children's Hospital and a writer, educator, and editor for Cancer Parent Publications, Laura's goal is to empower families in the trenches to lead their best life, even amidst trauma. To read more relatable content, please visit our website: Home - Elephants and Tea Tune into part 2 to hear more from Laura!
*This is part 2 of a 2-part episode. Be sure to listen to part 1 first for some context!* Listen in as Lisa interviews Siobhan Hebron, one of our authors from our March Magazine, and they talk about grief, loss, empathy, and more! Siobhan Hebron is an interdisciplinary artist in Los Angeles with a BA in both Art and Art History from UCLA. Hebron's visual and written work take from her personal diagnosis of cancer to explore broader dialogues of illness, chronic conditions, disability, ableism, and the sick woman's body. Her work engages feminist social practice, directly embracing community and collaboration. She is co-chair of the AYA@USC PFAC, has a certificate in patient advocacy, and is working to pursue a career supporting AYA patients in both the artistic and medical communities. Follow Siobhan and get in touch with her on Instagram @siobhanhebron To read more relatable stories, visit our website: Home - Elephants and Tea
Listen in as Siobhan Hebron, one of our authors from our March Magazine, reads her article "The First Rule of Cancer Club". Siobhan Hebron is an interdisciplinary artist in Los Angeles with a BA in both Art and Art History from UCLA. Hebron's visual and written work take from her personal diagnosis of cancer to explore broader dialogues of illness, chronic conditions, disability, ableism, and the sick woman's body. Her work engages feminist social practice, directly embracing community and collaboration. She is co-chair of the AYA@USC PFAC, has a certificate in patient advocacy, and is working to pursue a career supporting AYA patients in both the artistic and medical communities. Follow Siobhan and get in touch with her on Instagram @siobhanhebron Be sure to tune into part 2 to hear more from Siobhan in an interview!
*This is part 2 of a 2-part episode. Be sure to listen to part 1 first where Rachelle reads her poem featured in our March 2023 magazine for some context for our conversation* Tune in as Rachelle and Lisa discuss the realities of survivorship, going through a cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of finding your "herd" and people who understand what you are going through. Rachelle Rolf lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and enjoys kayaking, traveling, and being outside in nature. She is no stranger to cancer as she was first diagnosed as an infant with a yolk sac tumor, then with a benign brain meningioma in 2019, and most recently, with adenocarcinoma of the lung in 2021. She encourages others to be their own advocate in both their physical and mental health, especially when dealing with the roller coaster rides of cancer survivorship. Visit elephantsandtea.com for more relatable content!
Listen as author Rachelle Rolf reads her poem, "Aftermath". Rachelle Rolf lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and enjoys kayaking, traveling, and being outside in nature. She is no stranger to cancer as she was first diagnosed as an infant with a yolk sac tumor, then with a benign brain meningioma in 2019, and most recently, with adenocarcinoma of the lung in 2021. She encourages others to be their own advocate in both their physical and mental health, especially when dealing with the roller coaster rides of cancer survivorship. Be sure to tune into part 2 to hear more from Rachelle! Visit elephantsandtea.com for more relatable stories.
*This is part 2 of a 2-part episode! Please listen to the previous episode first for context* In this episode, we hear more from Aubrey Danielson, author of "Not Like the Others" from our March 2023 magazine. She shares more about her own cancer experience as an AYA, we talk about some of the realities that we both went through and learned after active treatment ended for us, and she shared more deeply about some of the inspiration behind her incredible writing. You'll find yourself nodding along to many of the topics discussed in this episode! Aubrey's website: Chewing On Lemons Stem Cell Donation Elephants and Tea
Listen as Aubrey Danielson, Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor, reads her article, "Not Like the Others", aloud. Be sure to tune into part 2 of this episode to hear more from Aubrey! Aubrey Danielson is the founder of Chewing On Lemons, a website dedicated to reflecting on the various lemons life hands us. During the day, she is an animation producer based in Atlanta, Georgia. Since the end of her treatment, Aubrey has been rediscovering her voice and is honored to be doing so with Elephants and Tea. elephantsandtea.com
After listening to the previous episode where Alyssa reads her 3 amazing poems, join us for an open conversation about the realities and difficulties of survivorship. Alyssa Stein is a two-time Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivor. Writing poetry has been a great form of therapy for her since first being diagnosed in 2018. Alyssa currently resides and works in Maryland as a high school special education teacher. She spends her free time reading, writing, and spending time with her husband and dogs. You can reach out to Alyssa on Instagram @alyssa.seethedoor Visit elephantsandtea.com for more relatable content!
Join us as we hear author Alyssa Stein read her 3 amazing articles for us! Alyssa Stein is a two-time Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivor. Writing poetry has been a great form of therapy for her since first being diagnosed in 2018. Alyssa currently resides and works in Maryland as a high school special education teacher. She spends her free time reading, writing, and spending time with her husband and dogs. You can reach out to Alyssa on Instagram @alyssa.seethedoor Visit elephantsandtea.com for more relatable content!
Join us as we hear more from and learn about our featured author, Nicole. Nicole Ruth Smith is a writer, visual artist, outdoor enthusiast, and thyroid cancer advocate. She uses language and imagery to make meaning of the difficult moments and cherish the awe-inspiring ones. In this episode, we discuss the realities of scanxiety and the truths about navigating life as a young adult cancer survivor. Want to connect with Nicole? You can find her on Instagram @nicoleruth_creativeco Want to read more articles from amazing authors in the AYA cancer space? Visit our website elephantsandtea.com for more relatable content! Tune in next week for a brand new episode!
Join us as we hear our featured author, Nicole Ruth Smith, read her article from our latest magazine! Tune into part 2 of this episode to learn more about Nicole and her inspiration for writing this article! Nicole Ruth Smith is a writer, visual artist, outdoor enthusiast, and thyroid cancer advocate. She uses language and imagery to make meaning of the difficult moments and cherish the awe-inspiring ones. Want to connect with Nicole? You can find her on Instagram @nicoleruth_creativeco Want to read more articles from amazing authors in the AYA cancer space? Visit our website elephantsandtea.com for more relatable content!
In this episode, tune is as Steve Giallourakis and Lisa Orr discuss the reasons behind the creation of this podcast! Who are we and why did we create it? What purpose do we hope that it serves? Whether you are already a member of our community, our Herd as we like to call them, or you are brand new to our content, welcome! The elephant in the room is cancer, and tea is the relief that conversation provides. Here, we will bring the pages of Elephants and Tea Magazine to life – having tough conversations about the realities of going through cancer as an AYA. We guarantee that, just like after reading our magazine or attending our virtual events, you will feel less alone in what you are going through after listening to each episode. If you are not already a subscriber of our magazine – no fear! It is completely free. Visit our website: elephantsandtea.com and click “subscribe now”. You may choose to receive our free quarterly magazines either digitally, in print, or both! We hope that despite what you are going through, you find comfort knowing that you are not alone and that there is a Herd of people who get it here for you.
If you or someone you love has experienced cancer as an adolescent or young adult, you know how isolating and lonely it can feel. In finding this podcast, AYA Cancer: Unfiltered, we can say with confidence that you are in the right place. Whether you are already a member of our community, our Herd as we like to call them, or you are brand new to our content, welcome! The elephant in the room is cancer, and tea is the relief that conversation provides. Here, we will bring the pages of Elephants and Tea Magazine to life – having tough conversations about the realities of going through cancer as an AYA. We guarantee that, just like after reading our magazine or attending our virtual events, you will feel less alone in what you are going through after listening to each episode. If you are not already a subscriber of our magazine – no fear! It is completely free. Visit our website: elephantsandtea.com and click “subscribe now”. You may choose to receive our free quarterly magazines either digitally, in print, or both! We hope that despite what you are going through, you find comfort knowing that you are not alone and that there is a Herd of people who get it here for you.
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