South Devon man is among longest surviving diabetes patients

[Northerner]

A Devon man who received his first jab of insulin as a three-year-old boy in 1935 has joined an elite group of long-suffering diabetes survivors. John Hegan began the then relatively new treatment for the disease as war clouds were gathering over Germany and against a backdrop of recession and soaring unemployment.

Now a grandfather, he continues to live with the disease and has become one of the longest-surviving sufferers in the country. Mr Hegan, from Brixham, was diagnosed with Type I diabetes and has routinely jabbed himself with the life-saving medicine for the past 77 years later.

He said: “Having injections are now so natural to me that I can’t remember a time not taking them. I have lived a normal life and have a wonderful family and the only thing diabetes has stopped me doing was joining the Navy for my national service.”

http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/S...ing-diabetes/story-16012535-detail/story.html

In Devon there are around 33,000 Type I sufferers and 18,000 with the Type II form of the disease.

Seems unlikely! 😱

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I wonder why he has suffered for the last 77 years I have diabetes but do not suffer from having it. Admittedly it's a royal in the you know what at times.

In Devon there are around 33,000 Type I sufferers and 18,000 with the Type II form of the disease.

Lol think they have got that wrong. Suspect it meant to be 8,000 type 1's
I know in Cornwall and Isles of scily there are aprox 6000 type 1's and at last count 47 insulin pumps.

 

[Northerner]

I agree Sue, I'm also someone who doesn't 'suffer' from it. The man himself doesn't appear to think he has endured perpetual suffering because of it either, as he says it hasn't stopped him doing anything. Sad to hear that, in latter years, he has lost his legs and has had kidney disease, I wonder if it was just the accumulation of small problems over decades that caused it, or if his control began to waver?