Calgary author releases book to mark discovery of insulin

A Calgary author is marking the 100 year anniversary of the discovery of insulin by releasing a children’s book on the remarkable life of the man who made the discovery.

Joy Waters, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes since she was 21, says the inspiration for the book, among other things, comes from the gratitude she has for the amazing medicine.

“I was also concerned about the cost of insulin, especially in the United States, and around the world, where many people still have to ration the amount of insulin they give themselves which of course can lead to further complications down the road for people,” she explained.

Frederick Banting and the Amazing Discovery of Insulin follows the doctor through his life from the time he was a kid to when he makes the discovery.

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“The book goes through where Banting comes up with his idea or has his ‘aha’ moment, for the idea of insulin, with help from Charles Best, and they go on to create insulin and help those children suffering from diabetes,” Waters said.

Waters says she plans to donate $1 from every book and e-book sale to Dr. James Shapiro, who is currently searching for a cure to diabetes at the University of Alberta.

“He has been able to consistently cure diabetes in thousands of mice and is now pursuing a move to human trials. He currently needs about $22 million for more equipment for this work,” Waters explained.

Water hopes families who read her book are able to find inspiration from Banting’s research because “(Banting) was definitely an underdog going into his research. Many people doubted his abilities. He wasn’t considered the best or the brightest, but he had a dream and a vision of how to find a medicine to help so many sick children.”

The book also explains to kids what diabetes is and how diabetics give themselves injections and check their blood sugar levels.

“I tried to make this book as kid-friendly as possible to avoid complicated medical jargon.”

The book is now available on Amazon, and Waters hopes to have her book on the shelves of some local Calgary book stores within the next few weeks.