Sheeza Basharat2 months ago

First Sickle Cell Gene Therapy

“I thought I would have sickle cell for the rest of my life,” the 12-year-old Kendric Cromer, the first patient to receive a gene therapy for sickle cell since it was approved, said after 44 days in the hospital. The disease had deprived him of his childhood, making everyday activities, like playing basketball or riding a bike, impossible because they could bring on searing pain, often resulting in hospitalizations. Kendric left Children’s National Hospital in a wheelchair on Wednesday. Staff lined the hallway, cheering and waving noisemakers. While his family feels fortunate that he was the first to receive a treatment, their difficult experiences hint at what others will be up against. By: The New York Times