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- Posted March 17, 2025
First Patient Cured of Sickle Cell Anemia
For 21 years, Sebastien Beauzile lived with the chronic pain of sickle cell anemia.
Now, thanks to a groundbreaking genetic treatment, he is the first person in New York to be cured of the disease.
"Sickle cell was like a blockade for me, but now it's just like a wall that I just jumped over," Beauzile said in a report published by CBS News.
The hospital used an advanced therapy called Lyfgenia, which modifies a patient's own bone marrow to produce healthy red blood cells.
"When we could use Sebastien's own stem cells to do this therapy, we were delighted," Dr. Banu Aygun, a New York-based physician who specializes in Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y., said.
Sickle cell anemia, first described in 1910, primarily affects people of African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent.
"Here we are over 100 years later, and this is the first cure you are seeing," Dr. Jeffrey Lipton, another physician who specializes in Pediatric Hematology Oncology at Northwell Health, said.
Doctors at Cohen Children’s Medical Center say they are excited to offer this life-changing therapy to more patients.
"We feel blessed to be able to offer, be the first ones to be able to offer this," Dr. Jonathan Davi Fish, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Northwell Health, added.
"Sebastien been coming to this hospital since he was 2 months old. There is not enough words to show you how grateful I am," Magda Lamour, Beauzile's mother, told CBS News.
Now free from the disease, Beauzile looks forward to traveling, exercising and pursuing his education. He hopes to work in the medical field.
"I can't wait to get back to my day-to-day life because now I feel unstoppable," he said.
In support of continued sickle cell treatment efforts, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced a $100,000 donation to Northwell Health.
More information
The Cleveland Clinic has more on symptoms, causes and treatment of sickle cell anemia.
SOURCE: CBS News, March 13, 2025
