Cancer survivor will travel to space

MiamiHayley Arceneaux, 29, a bone cancer survivor, will be one of four people to participate in the first civilian spaceflight, a charity initiative led by billionaire Jared Isaacman.

“I am so grateful and honored for this incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”Arceneaux wrote on his Twitter account when his participation in the Inspiration4 space mission was made public this Monday.

Arceneaux, born in Baton Rouge (Louisiana), will represent St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on that mission aboard a SpaceX corporate vessel, a charity where she was diagnosed and treated for bone cancer as a child.

“I can’t wait to show the world what cancer survivors can do,” he said after “the secret” of his involvement was revealed.

He also asked people to donate money to what his “favorite cause” is, St. Jude Hospital, viz raise $ 200 million for free treatment for children with serious illnesses with this space initiative.

The young woman has been a spokesperson and ‘ambassador’ for St. Jude since childhood, works in one of the Tennessee hospitals and was chosen for this space adventure that Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments will lead and may start next October. from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

In addition to Isaacman and Arceneaux, two other people who have not yet been announced will travel to space, but it is determined that one will be a St. Jude donor and the other an entrepreneur who uses Shift4Shop to ‘run the business of their dreams. let it come true. “

Arceneaux will get the seat “Hope” and the other two will be called “Generosity” and “Prosperity”., according to the mission’s website.

According to People magazine, Arceneaux will set several records in the history of the conquest of space: “First American civilian woman, first person with an artificial joint, first cancer survivor, and first Cajun (the descendants of Louisiana’s French pioneers) in space”

In a statement, the young woman said that “so far the astronauts have been physically perfect,” but this mission will help change “the idea of ​​what an astronaut should be” while helping children battling cancer.

The Dragon ship with the participants of the Inspitation4 mission will orbit the Earth “for several days” and then fall into the Atlantic Ocean, where it will be recovered by the SpaceX teams, as announced by this space company on June 1. February.

According to SpaceX, the Inspiration4 mission will be ‘the world’s first fully commercial’

Inspiration4’s crew will receive commercial astronaut training from SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, orbital mechanics, microgravity operation, zero gravity and other tests.

It is not the first time that Isaacman, 37, has combined aviation and solidarity with training as a commercial and military pilot.

In 2008 and 2009, he promoted the Speed-Around-The-World initiative, a series of flights to raise money and to publicize the work of the Make a Wish Foundation.