Alexandria teen returns home after state's first pediatric sickle cell gene therapy

Phillip Mullin left Manning Family Children's Hospital on Friday morning after becoming the first child in Louisiana to be functionally cured of sickle cell disease.

The 15-year-old from Alexandria also holds the distinction of being the first person in the state to receive Lyfgenia, a stem cell treatment that targets the disease. Before this procedure, Mullin had been hospitalized more than 100 times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the condition causes abnormal red blood cells, leading to pain, infection, and stroke.

A ceremony at the hospital marked the occasion. Mullin’s mother, Shataka Figgins, spoke about the relief of leaving the medical facility. She said she plans to unpack more than just his hospital bag. “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 acknowledged the sleepless nights but said she will focus on the young man who made it through.

Mullin addressed the audience, noting that sacrifices are necessary to gain anything. He said that enduring pain can result in a heart strong enough to overcome obstacles. He also honored his sister, Paige, whom he called 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 never expected such an opportunity for him.

Archie Manning, a New Orleans Saints legend and namesake of the hospital, attended the event. He said he had never seen anyone describe their journey with the disease quite like Mullin. Manning called the teen a “wonderful young man” with a remarkable mind, describing the outcome as a miracle.

Mullin said he hopes stem cell gene therapy becomes available to more people with the condition. He plans to return to school and eventually become a hematologist/oncologist. “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.