A 23-year-old New Orleans man, Daniel Cressy, has become the first person in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy.
Cressy underwent the treatment at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, and the disease is now inactive in his system. He said the condition had nearly derailed his dream of becoming a pilot, and described the process as a two-year journey. He also said he hopes to give back by starting a nonprofit to support others undergoing sickle cell treatment.