Daniel Cressy is stepping into a new chapter!
The 23-year-old Metairie native has become Louisiana’s first patient to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy at Manning Family Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.
On June 22, Cressy rang the bell at the hospital, surrounded by his family, care team, and community leaders, marking the end of a treatment journey that lasted more than two years.
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Cressy was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant. Growing up, the condition caused severe pain and frequent hospital visits. According to PEOPLE, he was sometimes hospitalized as many as 6 to 12 times a year. Still, he held on to his dream of becoming a commercial pilot.
That dream was once put on hold because of the disease. According to Manning Family Children’s, Cressy learned that the FAA would not consider him because of medical safety requirements, unless his sickle cell disease could be cured through a bone marrow transplant or gene therapy.
For Cressy, that journey included months of preparation, insurance review, treatment, and recovery. Now, doctors say the disease is no longer active in his system.
Cressy’s milestone is not just a personal victory. It is a sign of what expanded access to advanced care can mean for families who have been carrying this disease for generations.
A major moment for Daniel, his family, his doctors, and the sickle cell community.
