Victoria Gray, a sickle cell warrior, became the first patient ever treated with CRISPR gene editing to address her condition. The treatment aimed to eliminate the pain and suffering caused by sickle cell disease by editing her genes with CAR-T therapy. The groundbreaking procedure is a significant milestone in medicine, offering hope for a future cure for those living with sickle cell and other autoimmune diseases.
Rome and Victoria talk about her experience of living with sickle cell disease, describing the extreme pain, physical limitations, and struggles with the healthcare system. Despite the severe challenges, including failed treatments and unsympathetic medical staff, she found hope through a breakthrough treatment that eliminated her pain and reliance on medications. Since 2019, she has been free of crises and painkillers.
Victoria now feels empowered to dream again and is determined to inspire others, seeing her journey as a way to help others suffering from the disease. She has traveled to London to share her story at the International Summit on Gene Editing, is currently writing a memoir and is committed to sharing her story to encourage hope and increase patient access to this revolutionary treatment.
