I am a type 1 diabetic and contracted this condition in 1967. At the time I knew little about diabetes, not having any friends or relatives with this condition, so followed doctor's orders and was stabilized on insulin. This was a regime of 1 injection per day which had been a big improvement on the first attempts with insulin, and had been short acting and not so accurate. Now we are back to short acting insulin with a long acting one for nights.

The latest "cure" we have to look forward to is "islet cell transplantation" which is said to do away with the need to inject insulin but there are not enough donors to go round. Why do I not look forward to this progress? One American on this trial said he was not impressed with this treatment, because he felt it was just another way of administering insulin without needles. The real issue for him was keeping to a strict timetable and diet. This had not changed.

So why has a proper cure not been found? I believe one word could answer the question, "MONEY!" Pharmaceutical Companies are "looking" for the cure but how much would it cost these companies if a cure was found? Yes I know I am being a bit cynical but am I wrong? I am quite convinced any newly diagnosed diabetic could be cured within 24 hours. Even people who have lived with this condition for years could overcome it but obviously the sooner the better. After 38 years I believe it's too late for me.

To cure diabetes I believe the first thing to look for is the cause. Perhaps at this stage I should say I believe there is only one type of diabetes, type 1 but more on that later. So for the moment to concentrate on type 1 the first thing I noticed was a chap at work who I met for the first time and was surprised to find he was as uncomfortable with the meeting as I was. I started to observe other diabetics in hospital waiting rooms and there was never any idle chat unless of course it was people coming in together. In the GP’s waiting room it was not unusual for someone to open conversation.

The other peculiarity which is inescapable is the way we all remember when we were diagnosed with diabetes. Why? I believe we all experience “a major event” in our lives which we probably handle perfectly rationally but at some stage someone says something which puts doubts in our mind and although consciously we accept the situation, sub-consciously our minds are in turmoil. The way to overcome this problem is simply to speak up. Doesn’t sound much I know but at least one young woman has claimed to do without insulin for 4 years although in her case she wasn’t quite so clear about how she did it.

In adults the event would have to be pretty important, usually involving a death, whereas in younger children it may be the split of their parents. In very young children perhaps something as little as a parent throwing a wobbly when they find a rat or a mouse in the house. It must be understood though the variations could be endless and only the diabetic him/herself could know the answer.

ZYRA