Welcome to Diabetes Stories

People with Diabetes

Click to change to Family Members or Professionals

Who are we?

Diabetes-Stories presents 100 audio interviews with people with diabetes, family members and healthcare professionals. They recall experiences that span eight decades, from the 1920s to the first decade of the 21st century. This website is based at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM) and is the result of two projects – the first to record people with diabetes and the second to record those who cared for them. Both projects were funded by the Wellcome Trust, as a contribution to the history of medicine. CD copies of the interviews have been placed in two archives, at the British Library Sound Archive and at OCDEM, and the complete unedited recordings can also be heard on this website.

People Involved

To find out more about any of the people involved, simply click on either the picture or the text

David Matthews, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Oxford, was the Principal Investigator. He had the idea of recording an oral history of diabetes after listening to patients talking about the many changes they'd experienced. He felt there was a need to make a permanent record of memories that would otherwise be lost.

Helen Lloyd administered both projects and recorded all 100 life-stories. She wrote the descriptions of the interviewees and interview summaries, edited the audio samples and took the contemporary photos. She is a former BBC producer who has undertaken oral history projects for many organisations. More details can be found on her own website: http://www.oralhistoryconsultancy.co.uk

The Wellcome Trust is an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. Diabetes-Stories and the oral history project were funded by the Wellcome Trust, as a contribution to the history of medicine.

Oxford Centre for Diabetes,Endocrinology & Metabolism (OCDEM) is a pioneering centre which combines clinical care, research and education in diabetes, endocrine and metabolic diseases. By promoting world-class research, it aims to enhance understanding of these diseases and to accelerate the search for new treatments and cures.

Within Computing Ltd is a professional internet consulting and web design company based in Oxfordshire, UK. Within Computing designed and published Diabetes-Stories.
'Don't go without, go Within'

Suggestions for potential interviewees were provided by staff at OCDEM and also staff from the departments of Dr. David Jenkins at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Dr. Paul McNally at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, and Dr. Malcolm Nattrass at The University Hospital, Birmingham (Selly Oak). Additional interviewees were suggested by Dr Alex Wright, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Physician, Birmingham, by staff at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital and by Sue Curnow, Joe Freeman, Paul Partridge and Rob Saunders of Diabetes UK.

Ethical procedures and links with the partner hospitals were co-ordinated by OCDEM Research Nurse, Sue Beatty.

The photos were edited by Simon Cotterill and the interview transcripts were made by Moira Westwood.