The diabetic patient "cured" thanks to a groundbreaking cell transplant procedure has spoken of his euphoria after 30 years of living with the illness.
Richard Lane, a 61-year-old businessman from Bromley, Kent, is the first person in the UK to have a fully successful islet cell transplantation in a patient with Type 1 diabetes.
Mr Lane said: "I haven't felt better in myself for 30 years. I have to pinch myself to ensure I am not dreaming."
He soon will no longer need the insulin he has taken since 1976 after having three transplants of islet cells from the pancreases of dead donors by a team at King's College Hospital, London.
He described the advancement of the illness, having to switch to a fast-acting insulin pump four years ago to control the "hypos" - attacks resulting from low blood sugar levels which sometimes led to unconsciousness. He suffered one black-out while driving, injuring his spine and needing major surgery.
He has not had one attack since the first transplant and will be off insulin in days.
