Diabetes treatment changes life of Graham Thompson

Nov 5 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal

“It is really expensive, more than £2,000, and I had to get funding but it’s just been amazing. It is attached to my stomach and I have to change it once a every two days.

“I can now eat what I want – cakes and everything – at whatever time I want. The only thing I still have to steer clear of is sugary drinks.

“In the past, I have always had to eat at certain times and watch very closely what I do eat, but that’s changed. I’m not as tired all the time and I just feel better in myself.”

Graham’s mum Veronica added: “I’ve seen a huge change in him – it’s been brilliant to see.

“It took about a month for him to really feel the effects. At first, he had the nurse come out and then, after about a month, he really got to grips with it.”

The pump, which is not yet available on the NHS and costs around £2,850, is only suitable for people with Type 1 diabetes, which affects around 300,000 people in the UK.

This latest technology is thought to be the next step to creating an artificial pancreas.

At the time of the research trials, Dr Shaw said: “This new device enables the first steps towards ‘closing the loop’, whereby detection of dangerously low glucose levels by the sensor can suspend insulin delivery by the pump.”