23-year-old Daniel Cressy celebrated this remarkable milestone surrounded by Gov. Jeff Landry, Congressman Troy Carter, Mayor Helena Morena, members of his care team, family and friends
NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana’s first sickle cell disease gene therapy patient is now set to pursue his dream of becoming a commercial pilot after receiving historic, curative gene therapy at Manning Family Children’s. 23-year-old Daniel Cressy, a native of Metairie, Louisiana, rang the bell Monday, June 22, after a more than two-year journey that led him to this life-changing moment.
Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disorder in the world, and Louisiana has more cases of sickle cell disease per capita than any other in the U.S. A debilitating disease that predominantly affects African Americans, sickle cell disease is responsible for shortening the lives of so many, while also causing chronic pain and frequent hospitalizations. Now, with recent significant advancements that allow the altering of genetically modified stem cells, many more children and young adults can be treated (and functionally cured), before the disease begins to destroy their organs.
Cressy was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant. He and his family did everything right. He received the best treatments available, worked hard to stay healthy and build a future for himself. But as Cressy grew older, he began experiencing frequent episodes of severe pain. The pain sent him to emergency rooms and hospital beds when he should have been in classrooms and spending time with friends. Yet Cressy never let the disease define him.
He had a dream to become a commercial airline pilot, but found out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would not consider him because of his sickle cell disease due to medical safety requirements. Unwilling to give up on this dream, in 2023 Cressy appealed to the FAA to see if there was any way they would reconsider. “The answer came back,” said Cressy. “If I could cure my sickle cell disease either through a bone marrow transplant or through gene therapy, then I could become a pilot. Gene editing had just been approved for clinical trials, so I was following the studies closely. When I heard Manning Family Children’s had been granted approval to engage in the process, I began to discuss options with my doctors here.”
Manning Family Children’s is one of a select few programs nationally to now offer both FDA-approved gene altering technologies, providing patients a chance for hope and futures restored, in collaboration with its medical school partners, LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Ben Watkins, Director of the Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapies Program at Manning Family Children’s and Section Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Tulane Medicine, has helped develop this groundbreaking program.
“Thanks to groundbreaking research, scientific advancements and destination healthcare available right here at home, we now have hope,” said Lucio A. Fragoso, President and CEO of Manning Family Children’s. “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.”
Cressy has not had a chance to rid himself of his sickle cell disease — until now. After more than two years of preparation and various stages of the treatment journey, he is the first patient in Louisiana and the Gulf South to receive gene editing therapy utilizing Casgevy’s CRISPR/Cas9 technology to modify his hematopoietic stem cells to increase the production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which helps prevent the sickling of red blood cells.
For Cressy, his gene editing procedure could not come soon enough. In late 2025, his cells were collected from his body, and sent to Scotland where they were genetically modified. The cells were sent back to Manning Family Children’s in March 2026. Cressy was admitted to the hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders where he received chemotherapy treatment to wipe out his sickled cells, and on March 18, his genetically modified cells were infused into his body.
Following about a month of recovering and careful monitoring as an inpatient at Manning Family Children’s, Cressy was discharged in mid-April to continue his recovery as an outpatient with careful monitoring and regular follow-up appointments. Now, three months after his infusion, his hemoglobin levels are the highest they have been in his entire life, and he is working toward achieving his first class medical, which will clear him to pursue his dream of flying.
Monday, June 22, surrounded by his care team, family and friends, Cressy began a new chapter – one that he likes to call “Life 2” – and he is committed to filling it with purpose, service, and hope for others. Before he rang the bell signifying his rebirth and all that lies ahead free of the burdens of his disease, remarks were offered by Gov. Jeff Landry, Congressman Troy Cater, Mayor Helena Moreno, Tulane President Mike Fitts, LCMC Health CEO Greg Feirn, Manning Family Children’s President and CEO, Lou Fragoso, and Dr. Watkins, who serves as Cressy’s physician. Celebrations continued with a second-line band, and members of his care team who gathered for the historic moment.
“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,” Cressy said. “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.”
Manning Family Children’s is the premier center for pediatric stem cell transplant and cellular therapies in Louisiana. As the only pediatric program accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies and the only pediatric CAR-T certified program in Louisiana, the team at Manning Family Children’s is dedicated to ensuring that patients from across the Gulf South have access to the most advanced and comprehensive therapies possible. Additionally, Manning Family Children’s program is affiliated with transplant centers across the country through collaboration with the Children’s Oncology Group, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium, Pediatric Immunodeficiency Treatment Consortium, the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network and the Sickle Cell Transplant Advocacy and Research Alliance.
For more than 70 years, Manning Family Children’s has proudly served as Louisiana’s only, freestanding, comprehensive children’s hospital with more than 600 pediatric-trained providers and 3,000 employees solely dedicated to the care of kids. In addition to comprehensive services offered at its main campus in New Orleans, Children’s operates a robust network of more than 30 satellite locations, pediatric affiliations across Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and robust and long-community programs designed to meet the health needs of the diverse communities it serves. At the heart of its mission, Manning Family Children’s is committed to delivering expert care for every child, every time – regardless of the family’s ability to pay.
About Manning Family Children’s
Manning Family Children’s is a 263-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Manning Family Children’s offers a comprehensive array of specialized pediatric services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, Children’s operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Children’s offers primary care at 17 convenient locations, along with a network of statewide pediatric affiliations. Children’s is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, East Jefferson General Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, and Lakeside Hospital. Learn more at manningchildrens.org.