After 100 hospital stays, Louisiana teen gets first pediatric sickle cell gene therapy cure

Phillip Mullin left Manning Family Children's Hospital in New Orleans on Friday morning after becoming the first child in Louisiana to receive a functional cure for sickle cell disease. The 15-year-old from Alexandria underwent treatment with Lyfgenia, a stem cell therapy that marks the first time the drug has been administered to a pediatric patient in the state.

Mullin’s medical history includes more than 100 hospital stays. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that sickle cell disease involves abnormal red blood cells that can cause pain, infection, and stroke. The treatment process ended these recurring admissions, allowing the teen to begin the process of returning to his daily life in Alexandria.

A ceremony at the hospital marked the conclusion of Mullin’s treatment. His mother, Shataka Figgins, told reporters that she is now unpacking more than just physical items. "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 worry about his body’s ability to endure, but she now sees the young man who survived the disease.

Mullin addressed the audience at the ceremony and spoke about the cost of healing. "Sacrifices are necessary," Mullin 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 paid tribute to his sister, Paige, whom he described as his superhero. "It doesn't matter how far I walk, Paige is always there, always waiting," he said. Paige said she never expected him to have this opportunity and that the moment feels great.

Archie Manning, a New Orleans Saints legend and namesake of the hospital, attended the event. He stated that he had never seen a patient describe their journey quite like Mullin did. Manning 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 sickle cell disease and understands their specific challenges. "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. He also expressed hope that more people with the disease can access stem cell gene therapy.

For the immediate future, Mullin’s priorities are simple. He intends to sleep in his own bed in Alexandria and build more Legos with his baby sister.