Dr Desmond McNeill was treated under Dr R.D. Lawrence in 1925

In 1925, Dr Desmond McNeill was five-years-old when he was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He was treated at King’s College Hospital, London, under Dr R.D. Lawrence who put him on twice-daily insulin and blood glucose testing once every three months.

At that time, there was no method for testing it personally, so Lawrence took a blood sample and sent it to the laboratory, where it took most of the day to get the results.

Dr McNeill says: “The next big step was administering my own insulin from the age of six. I wasn’t allowed to draw it up into the syringe - my mother did that or, at least, supervised it. I started doing it when I was seven.

"I think I took it in my stride. That continued until I was 13 or 14. Then, within a year or two, I switched to one injection a day of Protamin Zinc insulin. That was a major change, which continued for 10–15 years.”

Today, Dr McNeill has twice-daily injections of Hypurin Porcine 30/70.

“I joined the British Association (now Diabetes UK) in the first year of its foundation. I was member 582. Dr Lawrence was a delightful man. When I was six or seven he told me: ‘Live as normal a life as you can. Don’t consider this as an illness.’

“He also told my parents to follow as normal a regime as possible – which they did. That was good advice. I remained under his care until he died in 1968.”

84 years of Type 1 diabetes have left Dr McNeill with only minimal diabetic complications.

“Having diabetes has had an impact on my life, although I have never let the condition prevent me from being active and taking on new challenges.

"My decision to become a doctor was influenced by my condition and by Dr Lawrence. Across the decades I have seen many positive changes in the way diabetes is treated and in how diabetes care is delivered.

"I am now 89-years-old and I am a good example of the fact that if you manage your diabetes successfully there is no reason why you should not lead a long and rewarding life.”

Read the full version of this article in Balance