A 23-year-old man from Louisiana in the United States has become the first patient in the state to receive a curative gene therapy for sickle cell disease, marking a major milestone in the treatment of the inherited blood disorder.
Daniel Cressy, from Metairie, Louisiana, achieved the breakthrough on June 22 at Manning Family Children’s Hospital after completing a treatment process that spanned more than two years.
Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant, Cressy endured repeated episodes of severe pain despite ongoing treatment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The condition also threatened his lifelong ambition of becoming a commercial airline pilot after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed him that his medical condition did not meet its safety requirements.
Determined to pursue his dream, Cressy appealed to the FAA in 2023 to explore possible alternatives.
“If I could cure my sickle cell disease either through a bone marrow transplant or through gene therapy, then I could become a pilot,” he said.
According to Manning Family Children’s Hospital, the facility is one of a select number of centres in the United States offering two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved gene-altering therapies for sickle cell disease in partnership with LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane University School of Medicine.
In late 2025, doctors collected Cressy’s stem cells and sent them to Scotland, where they were genetically modified using Casgevy’s CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. The edited cells were returned to Louisiana in March 2026.
After undergoing chemotherapy to remove diseased cells, Cressy received the infusion of the modified stem cells on March 18. Following about a month of hospital recovery and continued outpatient monitoring, doctors reported that his haemoglobin levels are now the highest they have ever been.
Hospital officials said Cressy is the first patient in Louisiana and the Gulf South to receive the gene-editing therapy, which works by boosting the production of foetal haemoglobin to prevent red blood cells from taking on the characteristic sickle shape.
Lucio Fragoso, president and chief executive officer of Manning Family Children’s Hospital, described the achievement as a transformational moment.
“Curative gene therapy is restoring futures, and Daniel has paved the way for what is possible together with his care team at Manning Family Children’s.
“This is a proud and transformational moment for all of us.”
Speaking at a ceremony attended by family members, healthcare workers and public officials, Cressy said he hopes his journey will inspire others living with sickle cell disease.
“I feel like God chose me to be the first one in the state because my story, once I do finally become a commercial pilot, is going to be inspirational for a lot of people.
“Overcoming what seemed impossible became my greatest blessing. While many spend their lives searching for purpose, mine found me. Now, instead of looking for meaning, I can spend my life fulfilling it.”
Sickle cell disease is the world’s most common inherited blood disorder and disproportionately affects people of African descent. Louisiana has one of the highest rates of the condition per capita in the United States.
