August 1, 2022
Physician assistant Arceneaux debuts with an inspiring memoir about surviving pediatric cancer and becoming, at age 29, the youngest American to visit space. She recounts how her “idyllic” childhood was disrupted by a bone cancer diagnosis when she was 10, kick-starting several arduous years of surgeries and treatments. The author maintained a humorous outlook as she underwent chemotherapy at St. Jude’s hospital in Memphis and nicknamed her physical therapists the “queen of torture” and the “princess of pain.” She details the heartbreaking challenges she faced after beating cancer and returning to school as she struggled to catch up academically and fit in socially. In college, the author, inspired by the hospital staff who cared for her as a child, decided to become a physician’s assistant and in 2021 fulfilled her dream of working at St. Jude. Soon after, she was asked to partake in the first all-civilian SpaceX mission as an ambassador for St. Jude, and she credits God for the opportunity: “My life couldn’t have worked out like this without Someone setting it in motion.” The author’s upbeat attitude keeps the tone positive even as she discusses losing her hair to chemo and the grueling series of major surgeries she had between the ages of 10 and 15, illustrating why St. Jude staff dubbed her the “Gratitude Administrator” when she was a patient. This uplifting tale soars.