New life-changing treatment in Milwaukee gives hope to children with sickle cell disease

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell is a painful blood disease that’s inherited and affects thousands of people across the nation.

However, good news has arrived in Milwaukee, where doctors say a new groundbreaking treatment is available.

"I think for the kids that receive this, it will be life altering and give them hope," said Dr. Julie Talano, the medical director of blood and marrow transplant at Children’s Wisconsin.

Children's Wisconsin is now the first and only hospital in Wisconsin offering what doctors say is life-changing treatment. It's called Casgevy, a gene therapy that can potentially cure children suffering from severe cases of sickle cell disease and thalassemia.

"This gene therapy treatment is hopefully going to revolutionize care for individuals that are born with sickle cell disease," said Dr. Amanda Brandow, director of the sickle cell disease program at Children's Wisconsin.

Approximately 1,200 people live with sickle cell disease in Wisconsin and 85% of those people live in the southeastern region.

"The pain is so bad, many of our kids require IV morphine to treat the pain," said Dr. Brandow.

With around 400 children in the hospital's sickle cell program, this treatment offers a new look on life.

"It interferes with their life significantly," said Dr. Brandow. "Kids are supposed to be going to school and having fun and playing with their friends and going to activities. Often times they are spending a lot of time in the hospital, in pain."

These doctors tell us they've already started speaking with their patients about this new development and many patients are excited to have this opportunity available in Milwaukee.

"Approximately two months after the infusion, they should be back to a normal life if everything goes well," said Dr. Talano.