dLifeTV and Novo Nordisk Present "The Story of Insulin"

The amazing saga of the medical discovery that changed diabetes care forever

"The Story of Insulin" airs January 10, 2010 at 7:00PM ET, 4:00PM PT on CNBC

WESTPORT, Conn., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- dLife, the leading information source for people living with diabetes, announces a special presentation of an award-winning documentary on January 10, 2010 on CNBC. "The Story of Insulin," a dLifeTV special, brings the dramatic discovery of this miraculous drug and the heartfelt stories of the millions it has saved to primetime.

"This is truly one of the most extraordinary stories of modern medicine" explained CEO Howard Steinberg. "Never before had a new treatment had such an immediate, life-saving impact on such a huge population of people - mostly children. Before insulin, a child with diabetes had only one treatment available - a starvation diet that might prolong their life by a few months." Steinberg, who has lived with type 1 diabetes since age 10, estimates that he has taken over 75,000 injections of insulin in his lifetime.

Canadian researchers Banting, Best, Collip, and Macleod developed insulin in 1922, ensuring a future for millions of children and young adults barely clinging to life. But the road wasn't an easy one. Scientific setbacks, political and personal infighting, the challenges of improving and administering the drug, and exciting new advances in insulin research are all part of this gripping story - told in this special documentary episode of dLifeTV airing January 10, 2010 at 7:00PM ET, 4:00PM PT on CNBC.

"The Story of Insulin" is hosted by dLifeTV's Jim Turner - an insulin user himself for forty years. It features Michael Bliss, distinguished medical historian and author of The Discovery of Insulin and Banting: A Biography. Bliss is a former professor of medicine and history at the University of Toronto - the birthplace of insulin. The episode is sponsored by Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, who generously opened their historical archives for use in the production.

About Insulin and Diabetes

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas. It allows glucose to leave the bloodstream and enter the cells of the body, where it's used for energy. In people with type 1 diabetes, beta cell function is impaired and they require injected insulin to keep high blood glucose, or blood sugar, under control. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes, but is the only available effective treatment for type 1. Injected insulin is also used to treat some people with type 2 and gestational diabetes. In the United States alone, an estimated 21 million people are living with diabetes.

About dLife and dLifeTV

dLife is the first and only multimedia platform for information, inspiration, and connection to help people with diabetes manage their challenging condition and live long and healthy lives. dLifeTV, the first weekly lifestyle talk show about diabetes, is produced by dLife and airs Sunday evenings on CNBC at 7:00PM ET, 6:00PM CT, and 4:00PM PT. dLife.com is the largest independent website devoted to the diabetes lifestyle at www.dLife.com.

For more information, and for interviews with dLife talent and diabetes experts, contact Mary Anglade at [email protected] or 203-221-3443.

SOURCE dLife