What was the presentation like? Did they just hand you the medal or certificate? Were there a bunch of people present? Photos? Not that long ago, 50 years with Type 1 was so rare that the American Diabetes Association had this elite club which used to meet and celebrate. They also got a fair amount of publicity in national publications. It’s nice that today long-termers still get some recognition.
Since I described this in writing not long after, here it is!:
. On 9th July [2009] I had achieved fifty years of diabetes and as such was eligible for the Nabarro Medal which is issued by Diabetes UK in memory of Alan Nabarro, who presented it. The “ceremony” took place in the Diabetic Clinic at The West Suffolk Hospital in the late half of August. I was told to be there at 08.30 and report to the Receptionist. As usual the waiting area was filled with faces that looked stony, resentful, anxious or blank. There wasn't a medic to be seen.
I sat there with Helen [my wife], Stephanie [daughter]and Neil (who were to marry on 29th August) dressed as though I was going to the beach. After a while a gang appeared, spearheaded by Dr Clark:
“Mr Vicat, would you like to stand up please?”
(Er not really)
“Here we have a remarkably fit patient who has lived with diabetes for just over fifty years and is an example to us all.”
(Stony or alarmed expressions abound)
“Can I just say that I would not be here but for the geniuses who work at King's College Hospital, The West Suffolk Hospital and the first hospital to treat me?”
“That may be so, but it is your attitude to your condition that has played a vital role in your survival.”
And so I was presented a medal in a little blue velveteen box. [This didn't have a name or date in it]
I felt curiously deflated.
That sounds a very ungrateful thing to say, but I had been told that there would be newspaper reporters and I certainly wasn't expecting the usual almost depressing background of the clinic. Maybe I'm too vain to be allowed out! When I wrote this I was under the impression that 9th July was the date of my diagnosis. I now know it was 30th July.