HJNO Jul/Aug 2026

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS  I  JUL / AUG 2026 53 hemoglobin levels were the highest they have been in his entire life. Paving the Way Until the FDA approved gene editing therapy for sickle cell disease, Daniel, and so many others like him, had little hope for a healthy future. Today, there are two FDA-approved gene therapy options and dozens of designated medical centers in the U.S. offering them, including Manning Family Children’s, which works in collab- oration with Tulane University School of Medicine and LSU Health New Orleans. Daniel was treated with Casgevy’s CRIS- PR/Cas9 technology to modify his hema- topoietic stem cells to increase the pro- duction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which helps prevent the sickling of red blood cells. With his successful treatment, Daniel has begun what he likes to call “Life 2.” He is now working toward achieving his first- class medical certification, which will clear him to pursue his dream of flying. n Benjamin Watkins, MD, is a nationally recognized pediatric hematologist oncologist,who serves as the director of the StemCellTransplant and CellTherapy Programat Manning Family Children’s. He is also an associate professor of pediatrics atTulane University School of Medicine,where he serves as division chief for pediatric hematology oncology. He completed his medical degree and pediatric residency at the University ofArkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine, and a blood and marrow transplant fellowship at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Unwilling to be held back by his disease or the pain, Daniel pursued his dream to become a commercial airline pilot, but ran into a roadblock: The FAA would not consider him. His sickle cell disease ran up against the FAA’s medical safety re- quirements. But Daniel was persistent. He appealed to the FAA, hoping the agency would reconsider. The only way he could become a commercial pilot, the FAA re- plied, was if his sickle cell disease could be cured either through a bone marrow transplant or gene therapy. As it so happened, around the time Dan- iel received his answer from the FAA, the FDA approved a gene therapy for sickle cell disease. When he learned that Man- ning Family Children’s had become an authorized treatment center, he began discussing his options with his care team. After more than two years of preparation, in late 2025, Daniel’s cells were collected and sent to Scotland where they were ge- netically modified. Manning Family Chil- dren’s received his modified cells in March 2026 and Daniel was admitted to the hos- pital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Dis- orders where he received chemotherapy treatment to wipe out his sickled cells. On March 18, his genetically-modified cells were infused into his body. After the infusion, Daniel remained in the hospital for recovery and monitoring for about a month. Three months later, his IN JUNE, Daniel Cressy became Louisi- ana’s first patient to have his sickle cell dis- ease functionally cured through gene ther- apy. On Monday, June 22, 2026, he rang the bell signaling the end of a two-years-plus journey at Manning Family Children’s. The twenty-three-year-oldMetairie native now has his sights on a new goal: becoming a commercial pilot. Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disorder in the world, and Louisiana has more cases per capita than any other in the United States. A debili- tating disease that predominantly affects AfricanAmericans, sickle cell disease is re- sponsible for shortening lives and causing chronic pain and frequent hospitalizations. With recent significant advancements that now allow for genetically altering stem cells, many more children and young adults can be treated — and functionally cured — before irreversible organ damage occurs. Daniel’s Journey Daniel was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an infant. He received the best treatments available and worked hard to stay healthy and build a future for himself. However, as Daniel aged, he began expe- riencing frequent episodes of pain so se- vere he ended up in emergency rooms and hospital beds when he should have been in classrooms and spending time with friends. Ben Watkins, MD Director of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant & Cellular Therapies Manning Family Children’s