People with Diabetes
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Born in Pangbourne, Berks in 1956.
Diagnosed Type 1 in London in 1979

Overview: Gillian was diagnosed when she was 23, while working as a journalist in London. At the age of 26, a consultant advised her that if she wanted children, it would be a good idea to have them soon, because "you`ve got to consider whether you`re going to see them grow up". Her partner didn`t want to be a father at that stage, so she decided to be a single parent and has brought up two children on her own. Her daughter was diagnosed with diabetes in 1999.

There is also an interview with Gillian`s son, Tom.

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People with Diabetes 
More than 50 people with diabetes, diagnosed between 1927 and 2007, talk about how diabetes has affected � or not affected � their work, family life and friendships. They describe their encounters with the health service and with individual healthcare professionals and reflect on their experiences of changes in treatment and technology.

Together these interviews cover a crucial period in the history of diabetes - between the beginning of insulin treatment in 1923 and 21st century techniques that offer hope of a cure. They also cover a crucial period in the history of healthcare in the UK - before and after the 1948 creation of the National Health Service, which offered free care to everyone �from the cradle to the grave�.

The earliest memories of the period are provided by people whose (Type 1) diabetes was diagnosed when they were children, but there are also accounts by people whose (Type 2) diabetes was diagnosed in more recent decades.

In addition, there are interviews with 50 more people who cared for those with diabetes during the same period, including family members and healthcare professionals.
 
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