Ep 90 The Arceneaux Ascent: Childhood Cancer Survivor, PA, and Astronaut Hayley Arceneaux on Wild Ride, Osteosarcoma, and Reaching the Stars

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and this week on Medical Media Mixer, Tara and Nicole are raising a glass — and raising awareness — with a deep dive into one of the most extraordinary stories in modern medicine. Anchored to physician assistant, astronaut, and osteosarcoma survivor Hayley Arceneaux's memoir Wild Ride: A Memoir of I.V. Drips and Rocket Ships, this episode covers Hayley's diagnosis at age 10, the year of chemotherapy and bone-replacement surgery that followed, and the life-changing decision she made from her hospital bed at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: to come back someday and take care of kids like her. She kept that promise, became a PA at St. Jude, and then — in January 2021 — got a call that would take her further than she ever imagined. This week, Tara and Nicole unpack the data behind childhood cancer, break down osteosarcoma from a clinical perspective, and explore what it means to survive, to thrive, and to orbit the Earth at 357 miles up with a metal rod in your leg. And yes — there's a cocktail. Sources & Further Reading THE BOOK Wild Ride: A Memoir of I.V. Drips and Rocket Ships — Hayley Arceneaux (Convergent Books, 2022) Wild Ride Adapted for Young Readers (2023) Astronaut Hayley's Brave Adventure — Picture Book (2025) THE DOCUMENTARY Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space — Netflix (2021) HAYLEY ARCENEAUX hayleyarceneaux.com @hayleyarc on Instagram AAPA: Reaching New Heights — From Cancer Survivor to the First PA in Space (2021) St. Jude: Women Who Inspire — Hayley Arceneaux CHILDHOOD CANCER STATISTICS Cancer Statistics, 2025. Siegel RL et al. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2025;75(1):10-45. Global Burden of Cancer in Children and Adolescents, 1990–2023. GBD 2023 Childhood Cancer Collaborators. The Lancet. 2026;407(10536):1360-1373. Trends in Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Incidence, 2001–2022. Shiels MS et al. Cancer Discovery. 2026;16(4):686-696. SURVIVORSHIP & LATE EFFECTS Clinical Care for People Who Survive Childhood Cancer: A Review. Bhatia S et al. JAMA. 2023;330(12):1175-1186. Cardiovascular Toxicity in Patients Treated for Childhood Cancer. Ryan TD et al. Circulation. 2025;151(15):e926-e943. Cancer Treatment and Survivorship Statistics, 2025. Wagle NS et al. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2025;75(4):308-340. OSTEOSARCOMA Osteosarcoma Survivor Story — Hayley Arceneaux (Osteosarcoma Institute) NCCN Pediatric Soft Tissue Sarcoma Guidelines SUPPORT & RESOURCES St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — stjude.org American Childhood Cancer Organization — acco.org Children's Oncology Group — childrensoncologygroup.org Episodes every Monday ⭐️ Subscribe, Rate and Review! 🍸 Recipes drop on socials Discounts: 15% off Comfrt apparel Purple Carrot: 40% off your first box ClassPass: 2 weeks free 15% off non-alcoholic spirits at The Zero Proof 💳 Support us on Patreon | ☕️ Buy Me a Coffee Contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.