A routine wisdom tooth extraction led to an unexpected leukemia diagnosis for 21-year-old Kendall Schara, the captain of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay's women's volleyball team, reports an article published in People.
In early 2021, Schara had her wisdom teeth extracted. However, following the procedure, she experienced an infection in the extraction site and became unable to fend off the infection. A bone marrow test revealed that she had acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
AML is a cancer that originates in the bones that then moves into the blood, according to the American Cancer Society. It can then spread to other parts of the body. AML requires immediate treatment, which entails chemotherapy, a targeted therapy drug, and, sometimes, a stem cell transplant.
Kendall Schara.GoFundMe.
Schara began chemotherapy treatment at Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chicago. A month later, though, Schara was told she needed a stem cell transplant.
When a matching donor could not be found, Schara's younger sister Elle was tested and identified as a positive match for the transplant. In July 2025, Schara received the transplanted stem cells. In November 2025, Schara shared in an Instagram post that she was 100 days post-transplant and optimisitic about her future.
Since November 2025, she has returned to school. Her cancer is in remission, thanks to maintenance therapy.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help the Schara family pay for medical expenses. In addition, Schara is encouraging individuals to sign up for the stem cell registry and become a donor.
