A young boy with type 1 diabetes has been fitted with an artificial pancreas that automatically regulates his blood sugar levels.
Sam, who is 9 and from Worcester, has been wearing the artificial pancreas device, which determines when blood sugar levels are low, for two years now.
Despite worries about restricted availability, a similar device is likely to be put out on the NHS.
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Sam’s father, Tom Collins, said it was critical that money be distributed to all people with type 1 diabetes who need it.
In the United Kingdom, over 400,000 individuals have type 1 diabetes, including approximately 29,000 children.
As people with type 1 diabetes have a pancreas that produces no or very little insulin, they must regularly check blood sugar levels and take insulin via injection or an insulin pump daily.
Only people who are unable to regulate their blood sugar should be prescribed the device, according to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.
The artificial pancreas device performs the monitoring of blood glucose levels and release of insulin automatically, almost identically to the function of a pancreas. However it still requires information on food consumption to function correctly.
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Speaking to the BBC, Mr Collins, who is also the Labour Party’s parliamentary candidate in Worcester, called the new approach “life-changing” for those with type 1 diabetes.
“I’m really excited it could be made available to people in the future, because it’s so transformative to your quality of life” said Mr Collins.
