Pediatric Cancer Survivor Hayley Arceneaux, 34, Celebrates 5 Years Since Receiving a Life-Changing Email That Led To Her Historic Spaceflight

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She explains in the clip, “It all started when I was diagnosed with bone cancer at age 10. I spent a year at St. Jude undergoing intensive therapy and had surgery to save my leg.

“It became my dream to work at St. Jude when I got older to help other kids with cancer. 19 years later I got my dream job as a PA working at St. Jude … then I get an email from the hospital.”

A photo of the iconic email is shown offering a “special opportunity” asking Arceneaux to join the unique mission.

She explained further, “I was asked to become an astronaut, on a space mission raising money for St. Jude. I spent the next six months training for space. My mission, Inspiration 4, was the world’s first all-civilian orbital space mission.”

Arceneaux recounted being the “medical officer” of her mission and took part in various research endeavors, ultimately raising $250million for St. Jude childhood research.

After noting how they were featured in Time Magazine, and a Netflix documentary was made about their mission, she reminded fans of how she has since written three books.

She’s the author an adult memoir titled “Wild Ride: A Memoir of I.V. Drips and Rocket Ships,” the young reader adaptation “Wild Ride (Adapted for Young Readers),” and a children’s picture book “Astronaut Hayley’s Brave Adventure.”

All of her books highlight messages of hope, bravery, and the power of big dreams.

Arceneaux also pointed out that her space suit is on display in the hospital to show kids battling cancer that “the sky is NOT the limit.”

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Hayley Arceneaux’s Battle With Osteosarcoma

At age 10, Hayley Arceneaux was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Her father advocated for her treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

To fight the disease, Arceneaux underwent chemotherapy and surgery to remove part of her knee and thigh bone.

Speaking to People magazine in 2021, Arceneaux recounted her journey, explaining, “[I was] in treatment for a year of intense chemotherapy and several surgeries, including the placement of an internal prosthesis in my leg (making me the first person to go to space with one!).

“I understand these children [fighting cancer], I see them, and want to give them hope. My seat on Inspiration4, after all, is the ‘Hope Seat.’”

In another interview, with the Osteosarcoma Institute, Arceneaux recounted never having heard the word “osteosarcoma,” noting that she did hear of “cancer.”

“Everyone I had known with cancer had died. I kept saying over and over, ‘I don’t want to die,'” said Arceneaux, who underwent chemo, limb-sparing surgery, and physical therapy.

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She recalled, “I would thank everyone who was donating blood products, make them hand-drawn cards and tell them if I didn’t get blood and platelets I would shrivel up. When I was inpatient, I would put on a dance show with my friend who also had bone cancer.

“Distraction was very helpful. Those little jobs were a way for me to focus on helping people rather than thinking about how miserable it was to be a patient.”

Despite the difficult times, Arceneaux was still determined to work in the medical field— and we’re so glad she worked hard to make her dreams come true.

She even attributes her experience with cancer to helping her become better at her job.

“I have more empathy for the patient experience. It has made me a more compassionate and dedicated care provider,” she told the institute.

“I always thought I had the hard part. I was the one who had cancer. Then I saw when you are in that other role, how much you want to take away their suffering.”

All About Sarcoma Cancer

Sarcomas are cancers that develop in the cells responsible for supporting and connecting the body’s tissues. They can form in muscles, nerves, bones, fat, tendons, cartilage, and other types of connective tissue.

RELATED: What Are Sarcomas? Know the Types and Symptoms of These Rare Cancers 

“There are hundreds of different kinds of sarcomas, which come from different kinds of cells,” Dr. George Demetri, director of the Sarcoma and Bone Oncology Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, previously told SurvivorNet.

The word sarcoma refers to a large array of bone and soft tissue cancers; those are then further broken down into more specific forms of the disease, however, we will not list them all as there are more than 50 types of soft tissue sarcomas.

“Sarcomas are rare and the cause in most patients is unknown,” Dr. Vishal Gupta, site director of Radiation Oncology at The Blavatnik Family Chelsea Medical Center at Mount Sinai, previously told SurvivorNet.

The word sarcoma refers to a large array of bone and soft tissue cancers, and individual cancers within that set go by unique names. For instance, other types of sarcomas include:

• Ewing’s sarcoma is a cancer that typically occurs in and around the bones, often in the arms or legs, or the bones of the pelvis. It most commonly occurs in children and young adults.
• Kaposi sarcoma is a very rare type of cancer that causes lesions on the skin, in lymph nodes, organs, and the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat. It typically affects people with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV.
• Epithelioid sarcoma is a type of soft tissue cancer that grows slowly. It is likely to begin under the skin of areas like the finger, hand, forearm, lower part of the leg, or foot.
• Synovial sarcoma, also called malignant synovioma, is a cancer that can form soft tissues such as muscle or ligaments, commonly close to joints or in areas like the arm, leg, or foot.
• Osteogenic sarcoma, also called osteosarcoma, starts in the bone, often as it is forming as a young person grows. This is the type of cancer Kelly Mullooly is battling
• Spindle cell sarcoma is very rare, comprising as little as 2 percent of all primary bone cancer cases. It can start in the bone, often in the arms, legs, and pelvis, and usually occurs in people over 40.
• Angiosarcoma: a rare cancer that develops in the inner lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels. It can occur anywhere in the body but is most often found in the skin, breast, liver and spleen.

WATCH: Bone Marrow Biopsy

Understanding the Signs & Symptom of Osteosarcoma

The typical symptom of sarcomas is a slow-growing, painless mass. But sarcoma can be hard to detect through symptoms. “Unfortunately, most sarcomas do not cause many of the symptoms that may be associated with other cancer,” Dr. Dale Shepard, director of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute Phase I and Sarcoma Programs, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

RELATED: High School Senior Who Married With Months To Live Puts Spotlight On Sarcoma ‘Forgotten Cancer’

Shepard explains that this often leads to large tumors at the time of diagnosis. “Soft tissue sarcomas are typically painless,” he says.

“Bone sarcomas may be mistaken for orthopedic injuries. A mass the size of a golf ball or larger and growing should be evaluated as a potential sarcoma. It’s important that patients who do have symptoms are not dismissive of them.”

Meanwhile, understanding the signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma, the type of sarcoma Mullooly is fighting, is crucial for early detection and effective treatment. While these symptoms can vary depending on the tumor’s size and location, there are common indicators to be aware of.

Key signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma may consist of:

• Pain: The most frequent symptom is pain in the affected bone, often described as a dull ache. It may initially be intermittent and worsen at night or with physical activity. Over time, the pain can become more constant.
• Swelling or Lump: Swelling or a noticeable lump may appear at the tumor site. This swelling can be variable, sometimes appearing weeks after the onset of pain.
• Bone Weakness and Fractures: Osteosarcoma can weaken the bone, making it more susceptible to fractures. These fractures can occur with minimal trauma or even during normal activities.
• Other Possible Symptoms: In some cases, there may be a limited range of motion in the nearby joints, especially if the tumor is near a joint. Weight loss and fatigue are less common but can occur, especially in more advanced stages.

Differentiating from Other Conditions:

It’s important to note that these symptoms are not exclusive to osteosarcoma and can be caused by other, more common conditions. However, persistent pain, swelling, or other changes in bone health should always be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

If these symptoms are present and osteosarcoma is suspected, the next step is a thorough diagnostic evaluation. This typically involves imaging tests and a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. We will delve into the diagnostic process in the following section, providing a clear understanding of what to expect and how osteosarcoma is definitively diagnosed.

Carcinoma Vs. Sarcoma Explained

Dr. Gupta explains to SurvivorNet that the main difference between a sarcoma and a carcinoma is where they originate. “”A sarcoma typically occurs in soft/connective tissues of the body such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, bones, and nerves whereas a carcinoma typically occurs in organs such as the lung, prostate and breast.”

RELATED: New Hope for People with a Rare Type of Cancer Called Epithelioid Sarcoma

Or as Dr. Shepard puts it, a carcinoma comes from the cells that line organs (think lung, colon, or prostate), while a sarcoma comes from the cells that otherwise make up the organ: “Sarcomas are tumors in what people are made from after the organs are removed.”

Sarcomas may be treated by surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Many patients benefit from treatment with more than one of these methods, Dr. Shepard explains.

Sarcoma Survivor Kara Ladd found solace in Reiki, Meditation, and Energy Healing During Treatment

“More than other types of cancer, the benefits of multidisciplinary care should prompt most patients to be seen by a group that specializes in treating sarcoma.” Dr. Shepard says.

“Even if only for a second opinion or to develop a treatment plan, multidisciplinary care is crucial. As examples, patients may benefit from surgical resection or radiation therapy even with metastatic disease. Patients may benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy prior to surgery to resect a sarcoma.”

Resilience Through Adversity & Overcoming Adversity

SurvivorNet specializes in covering the lives of people who overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, something Kelly Mullooly is doing. Often, seeing the positive helps them maintain their resilience.

Dr. Zuri Murrell, an oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, spoke to SurvivorNet about the role of a positive outlook on survival rates: “I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”

Meanwhile, resilience is an important trait, but not the easiest to build. When building resilience, the ultimate goal is not to avoid tough times, but to be able to bounce back from them. And yet, when they are faced with an overwhelming, life-changing situation, how do people shift their view? How do they learn to see the problem as temporary, rather than permanent, and figure out a solution?

It’s complicated, because building resilience is more about your mental and emotional fortitude than anything else. According to the American Psychological Association, “the resources and skills associated with more positive adaptation (i.e., greater resilience) can be cultivated and practiced.” In other words, resilience is not something you’re born with, which should be encouraging. Instead, after every challenge in your life, you build more and more resilience to those hard times.

Building resilience is down in the same way you build muscle, through patience and steady exercise of the skill.

Some lessons learned from other cancer warriors SurvivorNet has covered include being willing to learn, spending time with people who inspire you, allowing yourself to grieve, being flexible, and leaning in to your community for support.

Adversity And The Art of Happiness: How Hardship Makes You Even Stronger

Meanwhile, overcoming adversity can seem daunting. Many people think reciting upbeat mottos or pretending to be cheerful will help, but these solutions can make someone feel even more dejected than before. Instead, pay attention to the following steps to make meaningful change.

1. Set a goal. No matter what the situation, create a new goal for yourself. If you have just been diagnosed with cancer or a chronic illness, perhaps one goal would be to educate yourself about the disease and the possible treatments as much as possible.
2. Make a plan. How will you achieve this goal? Your plan will help you focus on that goal. Dr. Siddhartha Ganguly refers to this determined, focused mindset as “the eye of the tiger,” which can help people dealing with health problems, such as lymphoma and other cancers. “You have to have the eye of the tiger to go through this grueling process that is necessary these days to get rid of these virulent and aggressive cancers,” Dr. Ganguly, a cancer specialist at Houston Methodist, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
3. Rely on others. Spend time with people who show you unconditional support and encouragement. They will alleviate your stress and help you remember that you’re not alone in this! Dr. Samantha Boardman, a psychiatrist and author, previously told SurvivorNet that one “coping strategy that can be productive is reaching out and talking to others. Having support we know is really critical in the healing process.”
4. Use positive self-talk. Leave messages with affirmations in places you frequent. Put notes around your mirror or the computer screen that say “You got this! or “Keep going!” Cut out inspirational quotes from people you admire and surround yourself with their words. Dr. Boardman explained to SurvivorNet that “Positive emotions have unique benefits above and beyond managing negative emotions.”

Facing Cancer: How to Turn Stress into Strength

If you’ve been through a difficult health challenge or any type of adversity throughout your live,  Dr. Boardman told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview that one way to get your mental health back in check after a diagnosis is to try to play up your strengths.

“I sometimes will ask patients, tell me about yourself when you were at your best,” she explained. “Using that story, trying to figure out what strengths come to mind. Is it patience? Is it appreciation of beauty? It is perseverance? [Then we can] use those strengths in constructive ways to navigate their cancer journey.”

Dr. Boardman says another way to approach harnessing the strength you already have is by tapping into your values. This could be family, close friendships, spirituality, or commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

Reminding yourself of what your values are and how you are living accordingly is another way to unleash that inner strength.

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

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