06/10/2024
📽️🗞️ Exclusive Interview with Victoria Gray and WSB-TV 2! 📺🗞️
If you missed out, it’s not too late to check out our exclusive interview with Victoria Gray! Gray became the first patient to be treated for sickle cell disease using CRISPR, an experimental gene-editing technique. Our executive director, Tabatha McGee, discussed this groundbreaking therapy shortly after two treatments were approved by the FDA in December.
During the interview, McGee highlighted the significance of these advancements while acknowledging ongoing concerns within the sickle cell community. Today, Victoria Gray is symptom-free, with some calling it a cure.
The FDA's approval of CRISPR and another therapy, LYFGENIA, on December 8th, sent shockwaves throughout the sickle cell community. For decades, sickle cell research has lagged behind other diseases, making these breakthroughs particularly momentous.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder marked by defective hemoglobin, which inhibits the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen. Sickle cells tend to stick together, blocking small blood vessels and causing painful and damaging complications. The average life expectancy for those with SCD is 42–47 years, significantly shorter than the general population. Over 16,000 Georgians suffer from sickle cell disease, with more than 100,000 in the U.S. and millions worldwide.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 19th, World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. Stay tuned to our social media channels and website for more updates and to watch this powerful interview that sheds light on the future of sickle cell treatments and the ongoing fight for a cure.
Visit our website to watch the interview and learn more about the impact of these new therapies on the sickle cell community. Together, we can make a difference!
A Sickle Cell Disease patient discusses how a new gene therapy is giving her hope for the future.
