Patient May Become First Person in Louisiana to Be Cured
Daniel Cressy, 22, Hopes to Make History
Daniel Cressy, a 22-year-old from New Orleans, is aiming to be the first person in Louisiana cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy.
His dream of becoming a pilot depends on being “fully cured of the disease.”
Groundbreaking Treatment Begins
On Wednesday, Daniel began the first of two six-hour sessions at Manning Family Children’s Hospital to collect stem cells.
Those cells will be sent overseas for genetic editing to fix the defect causing “misshapen, sickle-shaped red blood cells.”
A Big Step Forward
“Honestly, it’s a relief,” Daniel said. “It’s been a long time coming, and this is such a big step.
We’re just hoping they collect enough cells so the process can move forward quickly.”
A New Alternative
Until now, bone marrow transplants were the only long-term treatment, but this therapy offers new hope to patients without genetic matches.
