Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston MA has carried out a groundbreaking research on the long-term effects of type 1 diabetes in some people. This study is led by George King M.D. The research has received more than $25 million in research in support from JDRF.

Joslin Diabetes program awards medals to people who have managed to live with type 1 diabetes for more than 50 years. People who accept to join this study take part in daylong series of medical tests. These tests are carried through questionnaires. The medalist is required to fill in the questionnaires about their health history. They also provide samples of urine for kidney disease and blood samples for genetic testing.

These people are also required to undergo several laboratory tests. These tests include nephropathy and retinopathy. Nephropathy is mainly done to test eye disease while retinopathy tests kidney damage. This study also includes tests to find out if the pancreas of the patient produces any insulin at all. Medalists also go back for further tests after three years. This is to allow the medics to identify if there are any changes in their health.

Dr King and his team have recruited over 750 medalists in the last six years. They have also collected several samples and reported many discoveries to the T1D community. One of these discoveries is that, medalists have lower rates of complications that most doctors predict after testing them for diabetes. The researchers have also found that more than a third of the medalists produce small amounts of insulin even after half a century with type 1 diabetes. Medalists have also led a good life after discovering that they can overcome diabetes. There are many stories from medalists who have overcome TD1. These stories are published by the researchers to show other people with TD1 that they can also lead a good life.

Anyone interested in supporting this medalist study can inform their loved ones who are suffering from type 1 diabetes about this study so that Joslin can recognize their achievement.