Louisiana Teen Discharged After First State Pediatric Sickle Cell Gene Therapy

Sickle cell disease forces many patients into repeated hospital stays, but a new treatment option is ending that cycle for some. On Friday morning, Phillip Mullin, a 15-year-old from Alexandria, was discharged from Manning Family Children's Hospital after completing the first pediatric administration of Lyfgenia in Louisiana.

Mullin is the first child in the state to be functionally cured of the condition through this gene therapy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that sickle cell disease involves abnormal red blood cells, which can trigger pain, infection, and stroke. Over his life, Mullin had been hospitalized more than 100 times before this procedure.

The hospital held a ceremony to mark the completion of his treatment. His mother, Shataka Figgins, described the emotional weight of the journey. She said she is unpacking more than just his medical supplies. "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.

Mullin addressed the audience at the event, noting that the process required endurance. "Sacrifices are necessary," he said. "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 also spoke about his sister, Paige, whom he called his superhero. She described the moment as emotional and expressed surprise that he would have this opportunity. "It just feels great," she said. Archie Manning, a New Orleans Saints legend and namesake of the hospital, attended the ceremony. He called Mullin a wonderful young man with a remarkable mind and described the outcome as a miracle.

Mullin plans to return to school and eventually become a hematologist or oncologist. He wants to be 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.

For now, his immediate goal is to sleep in his own bed and build Legos with his baby sister.