ContestsEvents

LISTEN LIVE

Cancer Survivor and St. Jude Employee Heading to Space

Hayley Arceneaux is going on a trip that most only dream of. The 29-year-old pediatric cancer survivor will travel to outer space, as one of four people on the first…

(Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

(Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

Hayley Arceneaux is going on a trip that most only dream of. The 29-year-old pediatric cancer survivor will travel to outer space, as one of four people on the first all-civilian mission to space, set to launch in 2021’s fourth quarter.

Arceneaux is currently working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

A chief goal of the mission, called Inspiration4, is to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude.

When she heads to outer space, Arceneaux will actually be the youngest American in space. Currently, Sally Ride is the NASA record-holder for the youngest person in space.

Arceneaux will head to space this fall with entrepreneur and mission commander Jared Isaacman and two TBA contest winners.

Inspiration4 is hoping to raise $100 million for St. Jude. Isaacman is also donating $100 million to the cause. St. Jude treats children with life-threatening diseases at no cost to their families and researches cures.

Side note: We're doing our annual radiothon with St. Jude next month, so make sure to participate!

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.