Everyone has a beginning…
Whether you’re a caregiver, clinician, researcher, policymaker, or advocate—your story matters.
At Caffeinated Caregivers, we believe that sharing our stories helps build understanding, deepen empathy, and drive change. We invite you to share the story of how you began walking alongside children and youth with special healthcare needs, whether as a parent, professional, or ally. Your words might help someone feel seen, inspire someone new, or challenge someone to listen differently.
We can’t wait to learn more about what brought you here.
Because when we share our beginnings, we help others find their way forward.
Who Can Contribute?
We welcome stories from:
- Family caregivers walking the complex path of medical decision-making, advocacy, and love.
- Allies who support CMC families as extended family, friends, or community members.
- Researchers whose work is shaped by a commitment to improving the lives of medically complex children and their families.
- Clinicians who have been transformed by partnering with families through difficult and meaningful moments.
- Policymakers and professionals who are working to protect and advance the rights and resources medically complex children and families depend on.
If your path has led you to care deeply about this community, we want to hear how it started.
What Kind of Story?
This is your origin story. It can be simple or layered, joyful or hard. What matters most is that it’s true to you. You don’t have to be a professional writer, just honest and open. Here are a few prompts to help guide you:
- How did you first come into this world of caregiving, advocacy, or complex care?
- What has this journey taught you about yourself or others?
- What moments have shaped your understanding of what it means to care?
- What’s been the hardest, most meaningful, or most unexpected part of your experience?
- How has your perspective changed—on life, health, equity, or community?
- What advice or reflections would you share with someone just beginning their journey?
It’s okay if your story doesn’t have a tidy ending. Most of ours don’t. See examples of stories here for more ideas.
(As a note, we do retain the right to clean up and streamline aspects of the story for grammatical, spelling, or other errors and for ease of reading. We will never change core aspects, details, or essence of your story, just make it more accessible for readers if necessary.)
What Happens Next?
If you’re ready to share, just fill out the interest form here. Once we receive it, we’ll reach out with next steps, including a link to submit your story.
Story Guidelines:
If your story pitch is accepted, you should have received a link to submit your story. Stories will need to be submitted via Google doc at this time. Here are some other logistical things to keep in mind:
- Length: 1,000–1,500 words
- Tone: Personal, reflective, and centered on YOU and YOUR experience.
- Structure: Stories shouldn’t have huge blocks of text. Split those paragraphs up into shorter chunks!
- Photos: Please share 2–3 everyday photos yourself. These photos do not have to include your child if you’re not comfortable. We’re also happy to cover the faces of your children if so requested.
- Edits: Please do one round of edits before submitting. We will be sure to edit for grammar or clarity, but we’ll never change the heart of your story.
- Bio: Include a short bio and please share any social or website links relevant to the work, research, or content that you are involved with. We want to brag about all that you do!
Frequently Asked Questions
When will my story be published?
It depends! We’ll send you an email with a rough date once we have received your submission. We’re just two caregivers doing the editing over here, so we’re not going to make promises for this stuff.
Can I write anonymously?
Yes! Just let us know when you submit your story.
Can I write in a language other than English?
Yes, with the understanding that we will not be able to edit much, if at all, so we would request that you submit a highly edited, tight version of your story in that circumstance.
I want to write my story, but I’ve never done anything like this before.
That’s okay, and we encourage you to write anyway! You do not need to be a professional writer. Raw and open stories can be powerful even if they are a tight narrative! We encourage you to give it a try anyway. It might be super cathartic, even if you choose not to share it with anyone.
Will I get paid?
At this time, we are not able to offer financial compensation. We are a grassroots, caregiver-led platform. What we can offer is deep appreciation, a supportive community, and the chance to amplify your voice in spaces where it matters.