Cancer Survivor Makes History, Becomes The Youngest American In Space

Childhood cancer survivor, Hayley Arceneaux of St. Francisville, Louisiana, became the youngest American in space on the all-civilian SpaceX mission.

At the age of 30, Arceneaux has accomplished so much in her life, despite her battle with bone cancer.

When she was just ten years old, she had an ache in her knee that doctors said was just a sprain. Months later, when the pain remained, she underwent tests and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a cancer of the bones.

She received treatment and care at St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital and underwent dozens of rounds of chemotherapy, a limb-preservation surgery with a knee replacement, along with many years of physical therapy.

After thankfully surviving her bone cancer, she was inspired to help others who were going through the difficult battle that she had fought. She went to school and eventually obtained her Physician Assistant degree and became a PA working with leukemia and lymphoma patient at St. Jude.

Recently, she was assigned to be the crew’s chief medical officer onboard the Inspiration4 spaceflight. In order to train for the launch, she climbed Mount Rainier in Washington with the crew.

Not only is she the youngest American who has been in orbit, but she is also the first person to launch with a prosthesis.

Hear her story in the video below:

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