For 19-year-old Ethan Guo, flying is more than a passion—it's a mission. This young Asian-American pilot is harnessing his love for aviation to support a noble cause: raising funds for childhood cancer research and the treatment of young cancer patients. Guo is striving to set a world record by becoming the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents in a small aircraft. Beyond achieving this feat, he aims to raise $1 million by visiting hospitals and meeting with young patients in nearly every country he lands in.
“My goal is to utilize every opportunity to raise awareness about childhood cancer and the urgent need to enhance research efforts to develop prevention and treatment methods. Children should not have to suffer from cancer,” Guo stated.
“This journey has taken me to numerous places around the globe so far. What I've learned is that people are inherently good everywhere, and everyone I meet is eager to improve the world. They are all doing their best, and together, we can achieve remarkable things,” he added.
Currently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of his ambitious fundraiser, Guo's next stop will be Doha, Qatar, followed by a landing in Dubai on August 19. “The hospitality in Riyadh has been truly amazing; the warmth and kindness of the people here have deeply moved me,” he remarked. He is now anticipating his visit to Dubai, hoping to connect with the welcoming and supportive people of the UAE.
After departing from Geneva, Switzerland, Guo planned a series of stopovers in nearly 60 countries over 150 days, covering more than 80,000km. His journey includes stops in countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India, and Japan, before crossing the Northern Pacific to Alaska, then continuing through Canada and the US, and ultimately reaching South America and Antarctica. Flying a modified Cessna 182, Guo has taken extensive safety measures, such as removing the rear seats to install an additional fuel tank, enabling him to stay airborne for up to 17 hours at a time.
“The longest I've flown continuously was eight hours from Canada to the west coast of Greenland. However, I'm looking forward to a 15-hour non-stop journey from Japan to Alaska,” said Guo, who maintains a satellite connection with his ground team and has three emergency locator transmitters on board. Guo's passion for aviation started at age 13, and by 17, he had already earned his private pilot license, accumulating over 700 hours of flight time.
Guo's mission gained deeper significance when his cousin was diagnosed with cancer, inspiring him to use his journey to raise awareness and funds to fight this devastating disease. “My cousin was diagnosed with blood cancer at 18. When I learned about it, I decided to make a difference and discussed my plan of a solo journey around the world to raise funds with my parents,” Guo explained. “It took me six years to convince my mother, but my father was very supportive,” he added. Through this endeavor, Guo hopes not only to set a world record but also to make a significant impact in the battle against childhood cancer.
