Louisiana Man Becomes First in Gulf South to Achieve Functional Cure for Sickle Cell Disease
Daniel Cressy, 23, of Metairie, Louisiana, became the first person in the Gulf South to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease using Casgevy gene therapy at Manning Family Children's Hospital in New Orleans. He received the infusion of genetically modified stem cells on March 18, 2026, and doctors confirmed his cells were no longer sickling by June. Cressy has since founded a nonprofit to help others facing medical and economic barriers to care.
Daniel Cressy, 23, of Metairie, Louisiana, rang a ceremonial bell at Manning Family Children's Hospital in New Orleans on June 22, 2026, marking his functional cure from sickle cell disease.
Cressy is the first person in Louisiana and the broader Gulf South region to achieve this outcome using Casgevy, an FDA-approved gene therapy that uses CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
Diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant, Cressy spent years dealing with chronic pain and frequent hospitalizations. The condition also blocked his path to becoming a commercial pilot. FAA medical requirements disqualify applicants with sickle cell disease, but after Cressy appealed in 2023, the agency told him he could be reconsidered if cured.
The treatment process began in late 2025, when his stem cells were collected and sent to a laboratory in Scotland for genetic modification. Scientists edited the cells to increase production of fetal hemoglobin, which prevents red blood cells from sickling.
The modified cells were returned to New Orleans in March 2026. After chemotherapy to eliminate his original sickled cells, Cressy received the infusion on March 18, 2026.
Doctors confirmed in June that his hemoglobin levels had normalized and his cells were no longer sickling.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, U.S. Representative Troy Carter, and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno attended the bell-ringing ceremony.
Cressy has since founded the Privileged Pilots Project, a nonprofit aimed at helping others facing medical and economic barriers to healthcare and career opportunities.
