The Inspiring Story of Insulin's Discovery and the Dog That Helped Save Lives

Image of Diabetes Diary Plus Blog Post User
Marco Diabetic since 2015

Let’s take a moment to appreciate just how far we’ve come in the treatment of diabetes. Today, we have advanced Insulin therapies, glucose monitors, and even apps like Diabetes Diary Plus, yet it’s hard to believe that not so long ago, diabetes was considered a death sentence. But what changed everything? The invention of Insulin. And would you believe that a dog was at the heart of this revolutionary discovery? 🐶

A Grim Diagnosis in the Early 20th Century

Before Insulin was discovered in the 1920s, diabetes treatment was devastatingly bleak. If you were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes back then, doctors practically had no solutions to offer other than extremely restrictive low-carb diets. While this could merely prolong life for a little while, it offered no real chance of survival. Families watched helplessly as their loved ones suffered from elevated blood sugar levels. It was heartbreaking.

Enter Frederick Banting, Charles Best, and one special dog.

The Critical Experiment 🧪

In 1921, in a small lab at the University of Toronto, Dr. Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best set out to continue earlier, fragmented research into the pancreas and its connection to diabetes. Their goal? To isolate the substance responsible for managing sugar levels in the blood—what we now know as Insulin.

Here’s where the story gets fascinating: the team relied on a furry companion to make this work. Using a diabetic dog (nicknamed Marjorie 📛) who had her pancreas removed, Banting and Best tested their theory. They extracted pancreatic secretions from another dog, purified it, and then injected it into Marjorie. What happened next was nothing short of magic.

Marjorie: The Canine Hero

After receiving the injection, Marjorie’s skyrocketing blood sugar levels normalized like never before. Essentially, the Insulin worked! The dog not only survived for several weeks thanks to regular injections of Insulin, but she also proved that this could be a valid treatment for human diabetes. While the road ahead wasn’t without its challenges, this incredible breakthrough provided proof-of-concept and sent medical science on a game-changing path.

Let’s imagine the courage of Dr. Banting and his team for a second. They poured their hearts into this, understanding that the stakes couldn’t be much higher. And little Marjorie, bless her paws 🐾, unknowingly stepped up to become a quiet hero for millions of humans who now rely on Insulin every day.

Scaling the Lifesaving Idea

After Banting and Best’s success, they partnered with other brilliant minds (shout-out to J.J.R. Macleod and James Collip) to refine their process, ensuring they could create Insulin safe enough for human use. By 1922, Insulin was successfully injected into a 14-year-old boy on the verge of slipping into a diabetic coma. Again: success. Humanity had made a giant leap forward, and it all began with one curious experiment and a brave dog.

Forever Grateful

These days, it’s easy to take Insulin for granted. Injectable forms, pumps, and even emerging technologies like artificial pancreas systems make the treatment of diabetes so much more manageable than before. But behind all these advancements lies a profound story of determination, scientific ingenuity, and yes, a little canine grit.

Honestly, doesn’t it make you want to hug your pet dog a little harder tonight? Or appreciate just how a seemingly small element in the universe—a substance from a pancreas—can make such a monumental difference in so many lives worldwide?

As we move forward, let’s never forget the sacrifices and dedication it took to get here. Insulin has saved countless lives, and it owes part of its existence to a dog who showed us it was possible—a testament to how interconnected all life truly is.