2024 Kid Captain: Carter Schmidt

Carter had been healthy until he was 9 months old, when his family and daycare provider noticed he was pale, lethargic, and not eating. A blood draw taken at his local doctor’s office showed a high white blood cell count and low red blood cells, raising the suspicion of leukemia. After a transfer to University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital, specialists diagnosed Carter with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare cancer of the blood that affects just one in 1.2 million children. Because Carter also had a specific genetic defect in his blood, his care team proceeded with a bone marrow transplant. He underwent radiation that targeted the leukemia and received the transplant two days before his first birthday. Carter’s health gradually improved, and he stayed in the hospital for three months before being discharged. His cancer has been in remission ever since. Carter’s story: https://uichildrens.org/2024-carter #uiowa #uihealthcare #kidcaptain