Like most people, Hayley Arceneaux never expected to get a chance to venture into outer space. Then she did.
The first pediatric cancer survivor to become an astronaut, the author now spends much of her time on Earth telling people how it happened.
“I really wanted to share, especially with other cancer survivors, my story,” the 33-year old said. “I’ve been able to speak to a lot of kids and survivors, just sharing the message of hope.”
Arceneaux is scheduled to be at Linden Tree Books in downtown Los Altos at 11 a.m. May 3 to promote her children’s book “Astronaut Hayley’s Brave Adventure” and her memoir “Wild Ride,” aimed at adults and teens. She will read “Brave Adventure” at storytime and copies of both books will be available for purchase.
Linden Tree Books’ store manager Grace Lane said the store “immediately jumped” at the opportunity to have Arceneaux at the store after the author asked to bring her book tour to town.
“Every kid has a space phase, right?” Lane said. “It’s amazing to be able to facilitate kids meeting someone who has actually been (to space). And, she beat cancer as a kid. I know there are a few kids who need to hear that story, too.”
While Arceneaux’s books center on the courage it took to travel to space, she described going through cancer treatment as a child as the time she was “the most brave.”
“I have a prosthesis in my leg from when I had bone cancer as a kid,” Arceneaux said. “I could not have been a NASA astronaut.”
The Memphis resident was diagnosed with bone cancer in her left leg when she was just 10 years old. She described experiencing multiple “setbacks” such as her prosthesis breaking and having to go back into rehab throughout her treatment.
“It was the hardest time of my life,” Arceneaux said.
However, through the hardship, Arceneaux found positivity within her community.
“It really helps that I’ve always been a product of my environment,” she said. “I was surrounded by so many people that were positive during my darkest days and now they ultimately led to my life path.”
Arceneaux noted that her positive experience as a patient at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field.
“It’s hard when you are going through something like cancer to think about the future because you are focused on that one day you are trying to get through,” she said. “I was so inspired by the staff of the hospital where I was treated. They helped me get out of that and dream about what I want to do with my future – which is to help kids with cancer.”
After graduating from physician assistant school in 2016, Arceneaux worked in the emergency department at a Louisiana hospital. In 2020, she took a job at St Jude’s in Memphis – the same place she was treated for cancer.
Arceneaux worked as a PA for a year before being approached with the offer to become an astronaut.
“I got a phone call one day saying, ‘Do you want to go to space?’” she said. “I was so shocked – and so was my family.”
Arceneaux added that a St. Jude’s donor wanted to raise money for the hospital in a “unique” way by choosing someone who worked to join a space mission to advocate on behalf of the hospital.
“I remember being really worried about how my mom would react,” Arceneaux said of being selected, “but she said, ‘You have to do this – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’” The privately chartered space mission, SpaceX’s Inspiration4, launched Sept. 15, 2021, as the first all-civilian orbital mission. Arceneaux also became the first person in space with a prosthetic.
“I was nervous at times and hoped it would go well,” she said. “But also, in that way, it is so incredible that I get to be the first and more people will come after me.”
During her mission, Arceneaux made sure to use the opportunity to connect with her St. Jude’s community. While being launched into space, she was able to make a video call to her young patients.
“I got to answer their questions about aliens and all that,” Arceneaux said. “But also, just tell me that if I can do this, you can do this.”
Arceneaux cited the questions she received from kids about what she ate in space or if she saw aliens as the inspiration for her children’s book. Although going to space wasn’t her personal “bravest moment,” she said writing about space has helped her spread the spirit of courage to a younger audience.
“I hope it reminds (kids) of how proud they should be of themselves for their everyday bravery,” she said. “Because it takes bravery to go to school every day, it takes bravery to get to the top of the playground. You don’t have to go to space to be brave; I want to celebrate everyday bravery.”
For more information on Arceneaux’s upcoming visit to Linden Tree, visit lindentreebooks.com.
