The word Diabetes focused my interest.
Yesterday morning I was listening with half an ear to a radio trailer for a programme coming on in an hour.
BBC’s Radio 4 is running a series profiling scientists and their work in various fields called The Life Scientific.
Frances Ashcroft was the subject for this episode.Who is she?
The search for a cure for diabetes goes on in medical research centers all over the world and nearly every day newspaper headlines announce that somewhere a team of scientists has made a major breakthrough.
Usually these often sensational pronouncements hover around the ether for a week or so and then get filed in the memory bank and the teams of scientists return to their work benches and microscopes to continue their quest for a cure.
Until yesterday morning Frances Ashcroft was one such anonymous boffin to me.
Now, thanks to the BBC’s ever inquiring spirit she has come into three dimensions–and hers is a good story.
To quote from Wikipedia, her work “with Professor Andrew Hattersley has helped enable children born with a rare form of diabetes–neonatal–to switch from insulin injections to tablet therapy” thus making the condition infinitely easier to cope with for thousands of very young sufferers and their parents.
Prof. Ashcroft with some of the youngsters helped by her discoveries.
Her enthusiasm and passionate commitment to the cause make it a compelling listen.
Listen here to the BBC radio piece.
It encourages me to believe that one fine day–with people like Professor Ashcroft on the case–a cure to Type 2 diabetes will be found.
In other words : to discover what causes Diabetes.
Robin Ellis 
I also heard this heart-warming programme yesterday. Listening to R4 seems to make ironing more endurable.
What a modest heroine Frances Ashcroft is. With scientists as committed as she is let us hope for new discoveries, and as you say, one day, a cure.
I took part in some research a few years ago, carried out by Exeter & Oxford Universities, to try to establish a genetic link to diabetes.( I do not have the condition but others in my family do.)
My mother developed Type 1 in her thirties in 1950’s. Her uncle had it. It was thought then I think that it often skipped a generation. Always good to be tested in one’s fifties and especially if there is a history in the family. Cross fingers for you Sophie-Jane.
I really hope that one day it will be possible
to have a cure for diabetes
Sono d’accordo
I do so hope that there is a cure out there Robin,and with the like’s of Professor Ashcroft on the case if it is, it will be found.
Type 2 seems to know no boundaries. . . . My great grandfather had type 2, my brother and cousin both have type 1, my mom had type 2. Diligence is the key to your own health. Best wishes for everyone.
An American friend of mine who lives in France just learned that she has diabetes. How can I get her on your list of recipients as I think she would greatly appreciate your blog. I forwarded to her your last message. Many thanks in advance, Rosemary Beau (not your cat’s relative)
Not sure how you would do that. Put her name and email address in the subscribe box?