Message From Our Executive Director
By Andrew P. Mandell – MR.DIABETES®
November, 2009
WALKING IN HISTORY
In 2005 I was invited by Bob and Trudi Banting to visit the boyhood home of Bob’s great great uncle, Sir Frederick Grant Banting, the discoverer of insulin, located in the Town of New Tecumseth (Alliston), Ontario, Canada. This 100+ acre farm includes the original farmhouse in which Fred was born and grew up.
At the time, the Bantings were in the midst of a monumental struggle to rescue this historic landmark from the hands of The Ontario Historical Society – the group charged with the responsibility to preserve it in perpetuity. Instead, OHS violated its sacred trust in the interests of commercialism by selling this property to real estate developers.
The effort mounted by the Bantings to reverse this unconscionable act lead them to the highest level of the Canadian Parliament where they enlisted the support of all three Political Parties and the courts of justice, as well as the court of public appeal. Ultimately, they were successful, but it was at considerable personal cost, in both time and money, not to mention the multitude of anxious moments where this battle hovered on the brink of being lost. The Bantings won when law was passed on November 12, 2007.
As a diabetic, I witnessed their campaign; in full appreciation of the meaning of saving this singular piece of history. I walked the land with the Banting party and marveled then, as I still do today, at the most humble and rustic beginnings of one of the greatest men in the history of the world.
Frederick Banting, later honored with the title “Sir” (Knighted by King George V – 1934), is the man who, at the age of 31 and along with his assistant, chemist Charles Best, discovered insulin while at The University of Toronto. The date was July 31, 1921. The world, yes, THE ENTIRE WORLD! changed that day. Hundreds of millions of lives have been saved and extended to their full majority because of Sir Frederick Banting. And, as is fitting with such a world altering discovery, in 1923 Frederick Grant Banting was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine.
Saving and preserving Fred’s legacy was the cause, the motivation, the sacred trust that Bob & Trudi championed. At first, they battled for many years alone, gathering and documenting the detailed life’s history of great, great Uncle Fred. Eventually, and painstakenly, they nurtured dedicated supporters and continued their unrelenting effort until this successful result – the preservation of The Banting Homestead.
In most, if not all, societies around the world there are monuments and Historic Landmarks that are protected by law and culture. They serve as reminders to all the generations that follow of the greatness of individuals who have impacted our lives, and continue to do so. These physical symbols of greatness past are the “shout out” that can be the inspiration for future generations to continue to contribute to humanity. Many times these are statues, bridges, homes, roadways, museums, schools and many more examples of appreciation. And, many times, as the influence of the individual had a greater impact on larger segments of society(s), there are a multitude of such memorials.
But, in the world of diabetes, a history which is well documented for extending back over 2000 years (see notation below), surprisingly and wrongly, this is not the case. Over the centuries diabetes has claimed untold hundreds of millions of lives and many times that in human suffering (animals, too). Over the centuries the financial cost can be estimated at many trillions of dollars (U.S. cost alone for 2008 was over $225 billion). But, finally, and due to the dedication and perseverance of Bob and Trudi Banting, diabetics now have our monument, too. That said, there are many honors and memorials dedicated to Frederick Banting, but his farm was specific to his own childhood and personal history.
And make no mistake about it, this is significant. When I walked the grounds of The Banting Homestead, there was a rush of pride and sharing of the life of this great man. I was instantly transformed back in time to become an integral part of this man’s history and reminded that from these humble beginnings such greatness was spawned. It is a source of true inspiration which belongs to diabetics especially, as well as an inspiration to the world at large.
And this significant accomplishment, in true Banting spirit, will become a living and growing monument that diabetics can point to with pride and gratitude well beyond our own lifetimes. The Banting Homestead will be the future site of a diabetes camp that will serve generations of diabetic children and become the model for diabetes camps yet to be. The Banting legacy lives on…………..
SIGNIFICANT DATES: ** November 14 is World Diabetes Day in honor of Frederick Banting’s birthday.
** July 31 is the anniversary date of the discovery of insulin.
To learn the
History of Diabetes.
On a personal note: I want to thank my dear friend, Clarence Haynes, for introducing me to the Bantings, an introduction which has had a profound effect on my life. And, yes, this is the same 92 year old diabetic, Clarence Haynes, who authors “Clarence’s Corner” - the column in our monthly E-Lerts™ newsletter.
