Louisiana teen breaks 100-year cycle of sickle cell pain with first state pediatric cure

Phillip Mullin left Manning Family Children's Hospital in New Orleans on Friday after becoming the first child in Louisiana to receive a functional cure for sickle cell disease. He is also the first person in the state to be treated with Lyfgenia, a stem cell therapy that alters genetic material to prevent the disease.

The 15-year-old resident of Alexandria had been hospitalized more than 100 times prior to the procedure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that sickle cell disease involves abnormal red blood cells that can cause severe pain, infections, and strokes. Mullin's treatment concluded a decade-long cycle of medical interventions that frequently required overnight stays.

A ceremony held at the hospital on Friday morning marked the occasion. Mullin's mother, Shataka Figgins, stated that she plans to process the emotional weight of the past years. "I think I'll be unpacking every fear, every negative emotion that I had, every time I thought my baby wasn't going to be here with me," Figgins said. She recalled sleepless nights and moments of uncertainty regarding her son's physical resilience, but she now sees the young man who survived the illness.

Mullin addressed the audience, noting that sacrifices are necessary for progress. "You can't gain anything without first giving something in return, although if you can endure that pain and walk away from it, you find that you now have a heart strong enough to overcome any obstacle," he said. He also honored his sister, Paige, whom he identified as his superhero. "It doesn't matter how far I walk, Paige is always there, always waiting," Mullin said. Paige described the moment as emotional, adding that she had not anticipated such an opportunity for him.

Archie Manning, the New Orleans Saints legend and namesake of the hospital, spoke shortly after the ceremony. He called Mullin a "wonderful young man" with a remarkable mind and described the outcome as a miracle. Manning said he had never witnessed a similar account of a patient's journey with the disease.

Mullin intends to return to school and pursue a career as a hematologist/oncologist. He aims to become a doctor who can relate to patients with blood disorders. "I want to be a doctor that can relate to somebody. relate to a sickle cell patient and actually know what they're going through," he said. His immediate plans involve sleeping in his own bed and building Legos with his younger sister.