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Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

Successful transplant patient brings message of hope to local diabetics

By Stacey Heaney

Richard Lane speaking to the Diabetes UK - Lisburn Voluntary Group in Laganview Conference Centre, Lagan Valley Hospital on Monday night. US3707351DW

'I wrote to the families of the donors, they were the most emotional letters I have ever written in my life'

 

 

'It was hard for me but it was worse for my family, it is the carers who are the silent sufferers'

Richard Lane speaking to the Diabetes UK - Lisburn Voluntary Group in Laganview Conference Centre, Lagan Valley Hospital on Monday night. US3707351DW

A MAN who received a transplant to help ease the effects of his diabetes visited the city this week to give a message of hope about how this life has been transformed.

Richard Lane was in Lisburn on Monday to speak to a local diabetes group about his condition and the incredible change in his life since the successful transplant was carried out.

Richard from Bromley, Greater London. received three Islet Cell Transplants between 2004 and 2005 at King's College Hospital in London before he was found to be insulin independent - a UK first for the transplant.

An Islet Cell Transplant, whilst not a cure for diabetes, can vastly improve the quality of life. Before the transplant Richard was on a 24-hour insulin pump having reached a stage where he was having five insulin injections a day and up to six major hypos (hypoglycaemia) a week when biood sugar is so low the patient feels faint and can lapse into a coma without warning.

"Its indescribable how it has transformed my life and continues to do so," Richard said. "I'm back on insulin at the moment as I have a problem with my immune system but hopefully that is only temporary.

"The main purpose of the transplant is not to be insulin independent, but to stop the terrible hypos, and thankfully those have stopped."

The hypos almost had fatal consequences for Richard when he was involved in a major car accident having fallen into a coma at the wheel.

"It's the hypos that are the dread of any insulin dependent diabetic," he said.

Richard had less than a minute's notice of the hypo and crashed into a petrol station on the A21. "Apparently the car came to a standstill before my foot hit the accelerator and the car went into the middle of the busy road," he said. "I broke my back in two places and spent the next two years in and out of hospital. I was sent to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in London where I had a massive operation on my spine to put in a titanium cage."

Richard says his family, wife Paula and children Rachel and Simon, were left to worry for him through the years.

"I had a lot of comas abroad, in Switzerland and France. as well as at home; it was hard for me but it was worse for my family. it is the carers who are the silent sufferers."

Having been persuaded by Professor Stephanie Amiel to undergo the treatment, Richard received three transplants.

"Because of the shortage of pancreases, the transplant had to be done from people who had died with a beating heart. The procedure has to be carried out quickly before the cells are damaged. I needed three transplants and afterwards I wrote to the families of the three donors, they were the most emotional letters I have ever written in my life."

Richard would recommend other diabetics take up the offer of the transplant if they can get it.

"They are at an advanced stage of approving treatment," he said. "It is fairly probable, though not certain, that next year they are going to fund it to make it available as treatment. People I know have asked me if they should

have the treatment and I have always said, 'go for it'. Nothing would change my mind about having the transplant.

"I still have to pinch myself every morning to check I'm not dreaming."

Diabetes UK Lisburn Branch PR Officer Pat Croskery commented, `We are delighted that Richard agreed to come to talk to us. This offers all of us hope for the future that this islet Cell Transplant could help diabetes go away for the younger generation and those with Type 1 diabetes."

stacey.heaney@jpress.co.uk

Ulster Star
07/09/2007