NEW ORLEANS — Daniel Cressy, a 23‑year‑old from Metairie, has become the first person in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy, marking a historic breakthrough for a state with one of the nation’s highest sickle cell rates. Doctors say the disease is no longer active in his body after a demanding two‑year treatment journey.
Cressy received the curative therapy at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, where specialists used his own stem cells to correct the genetic defect that causes sickle cell disease. His cells were edited in a laboratory and returned to his body after chemotherapy cleared his bone marrow. According to doctors, the edited cells now produce healthy hemoglobin, ending the cycle of pain and organ damage.
He rang the hospital’s ceremonial bell on June 22, celebrating the moment he had worked toward for more than two years.
A Disease That Has Shaped Life in Louisiana
Sickle cell disease is the world’s most common genetic blood disorder. Louisiana has more cases per capita than any other state. The disease disproportionately affects African Americans and often leads to chronic pain, infections and shortened life expectancy…