Currently, there is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, but it can be treated successfully by administering insulin, either by an injection or pump, and by following a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular physical activity. Looking after diabetes requires planning and attention, which may feel overwhelming at times, especially when your child is first diagnosed. However, there’s no reason for it to stop your child living the healthy, happy and successful life you had hoped for them.
Transplants
While transplants can and do take place for some people with Type 1 diabetes, in practice it’s not so simple.
There are two types of transplant:
Whole pancreas transplant – this is where the organ is replaced by a pancreas donated from someone who has died. These transplants are generally only performed on people with diabetes who also need a kidney transplant.
Islet cell transplants – this is where insulin-producing cells are taken from donated pancreases and injected into the liver, where they start to produce insulin. Again, the cells are taken from someone who has died, and it takes three to four donated pancreases to give one person sufficient islet cells. Islet cell transplants are only available for people who have severe problems with hypoglycaemia.
In both cases, because the new organ or cells are ‘foreign’ to the body, drugs must be taken for life to prevent the body rejecting them. For this reason, transplants cannot be considered a cure for diabetes. The anti-rejection drugs can have very unpleasant side effects.