local
23-year-old becomes first in state functionally cured of sickle cell disease
By WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate)
· June 23, 2026
· 1 min read
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - A New Orleans man became the first person in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy.Daniel Cressy, 23, underwent the procedure at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, with doctors saying the disease is now no longer active in h...
Key takeaway Daniel Cressy, 23, underwent the procedure at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, with doctors saying the disease is now no longer active in his system.
Why this matters in The Nashville
In Nashville , the breakthrough achieved by Daniel Cressy in Louisiana has significant implications, particularly given the city's own efforts to address health disparities. As a major medical hub, Nashville is home to several institutions that could potentially offer gene therapy for sickle cell disease, making Cressy's story a beacon of hope for local patients. The fact that Cressy's treatment was made possible through the use of his own stem cells, edited in a lab to no longer produce defective cells, raises questions about the availability and accessibility of such cutting-edge treatments in Nashville's medical facilities. With a sizable population affected by sickle cell disease in Tennessee, Cressy's nonprofit ambitions to help others undergoing similar treatment could have a ripple effect in Nashville, where community organizations and medical providers may be inspired to collaborate and improve access to life-changing therapies like gene editing.
About this story
Original reporting by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) . The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 23, 2026 ·
Source: WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - A New Orleans man became the first person in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease through gene therapy.Daniel Cressy, 23, underwent the procedure at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, with doctors saying the disease is now no longer active in h...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 23, 2026 by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by WSMV 4 News (NBC affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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