Hayley Arceneaux
About Hayley Arceneaux
“Hayley was so well received, and so genuinely nice to meet and listen to! She received a standing ovation.”
Speech topics
Embrace Fear and Reach for the Stars: How to Seize Life’s Biggest Opportunities
Hayley Arceneaux was working at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital when she got a phone call that would require a life-changing answer. She had been chosen to be part of a mission to space called Inspiration4, the first all-civilian crew to circle the planet.
The rest is, literally, history.
With her signature blend of optimism and candor, Hayley explores the transformative power of saying "yes," even when it elicits fear and discomfort. Underscored with anecdotes from her historic journey, Hayley shares how stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to remarkable personal and professional growth, propelling you toward even the most daring goals you set for yourself.
This keynote is for audiences seeking to break through self-imposed limitations, embrace uncertainty, and unlock their full potential. Uniquely positioned and often humorous, Hayley will leave you prepared to boldly embrace opportunity when it comes your way.
Key Audience Takeaways:
- Learn how to redefine fear as a catalyst for growth.
- Build confidence to say "yes" to life-changing opportunities.
- Discover tools to embrace uncertainty when it matters most.
Speaking videos
Books by Hayley Arceneaux
“Astronaut Hayley's Brave Adventure” (2025)
An imaginative, inspiring, and beautifully illustrated picture book from the youngest American to ever orbit the earth—cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux—who learned that if we are willing to be scared and brave at the same time, extraordinary things are possible. A fantastic fictional space story inspired by the author's real-life experiences, Astronaut Hayley’s Brave Adventure is the perfect book for young readers who have big dreams and even bigger hearts. Like every child, Hayley has to learn to be brave in ordinary ways, like facing the first day of school or trying a new sport. But when Hayley gets sick—really sick—she has to learn to be brave in not-so-ordinary ways. When Hayley is invited to become an astronaut and travel to outer space, she knows she is up for the challenge. But she'll need all her courage to handle what's in store! Astronaut Hayley’s Brave Adventure will inspire children everywhere to reach for the stars, to aspire for the impossible, and to seek new friends and new adventures wherever they are!
“Wild Ride (Adapted for Young Readers): My Journey from Cancer Kid to Astronaut” (2023)
A young reader’s adaptation of the story of the youngest American to ever orbit the Earth—cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux—who shows us all that when we face our fears with hope and faith, the extraordinary is possible “It may be hard to believe while I’m gravity-bound on my bedroom floor, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time on Earth, it’s that as long as you keep saying yes, everything is possible,” says Arceneaux. In this adaptation of her heartfelt memoir, especially inspiring for middle-grade readers, Arceneaux shares the details of her wild ride with never-before-told stories written especially for kids coming to this edition. Arceneaux not only tells readers what it was like to go to space—from training in a fighter jet to lifting off in a Dragon capsule—but she also offers stories from her childhood: things that she faced at the hospital when going through cancer treatment, what she had to overcome when she went back to school, and the courage it took to dream big dreams for her teenage and adult years. For students navigating a time of uncertainty, and for the adults and educators who seek to offer them hope, Arceneaux’s uplifting story is one that will inspire kids for years to come. She offers wisdom and courage to anyone fighting against the odds, and shows us that dreaming is always possible.
“Wild Ride: A Memoir of I.V. Drips and Rocket Ships” (2022)
In this boldly optimistic debut memoir, Hayley Arceneaux details how she overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to grab hold of a life greater than she’d ever imagined. With her signature upbeat messaging, Arceneaux recounts her odyssey, from her cancer diagnosis at age ten and the yearlong treatment that inspired her goal of working with pediatric cancer patients, to living through her father’s terminal cancer diagnosis, to getting her lifelong dream job at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a physician assistant. She was sure she’d finally attained the life she wanted, and then the amazing and unimaginable happened: She was invited to go to space as a St. Jude ambassador. Throughout the book, Arceneaux encourages readers to fight for the life they want, saying, You have to hold on, because you don’t know what great thing can come and change your life. Take the chance and you will feel, and learn, and grow, and become even more you. Following your dreams can take you to dreams you didn’t know you had. Arceneaux’s uplifting story is the inspiration we all need today. She offers wisdom and lessons in courage to anyone fighting against the odds. And through it all, she reveals how resilience and faith can help us grab hold of the life we’ve always wanted and live it to the fullest.
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