CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
A young lady who is recovering from cancer spent her Wednesday at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, as a Pilot for a Day.
The Pilot for a Day program is a joint effort between the folks at Driscoll Children's Hospital and Training Air Wing Four, with the goal of helping kids get their minds off their oncology treatments.
Taylor Garcia is 14-years old and about to start her freshman year at King High School. She's got her whole life ahead of her now, but last year, she was sidelined by a devastating diagnosis.
"Taylor was diagnosed with cancer last year in July," said Jennifer Garcia, Taylor's mother. "Hodgkin's lymphoma."
But Taylor was successfully treated at Driscoll Children's Hospital and is now in remission.
She spent Wednesday suited up, learning about parachutes and emergency gear, and of course, hopping aboard the planes that student pilots use everyday.
The pilots there hope the program will get Taylor excited about her future, whether that be in aviation or another career.
"I'm hoping it will help cheer her up, and show her there are people who care," said Lt. Kerry Bistline, a VT-35 instructor pilot. "Especially the military."
The Pilot for a Day program has hosted a Driscoll patient every month for the past 11 years.
