Theodore Ryder

At the age of four, he developed symptoms of diabetes mellitus, including greatly increased urine output, constant, intense thirst and significant weight loss.

After this became known to Theodore Ryder's family, an uncle who worked as a doctor in New York City attempted to have his nephew included in experiments to test insulin through a personal conversation with Banting.

In one of these letters, Banting wrote in December 1938, among other things:I shall always follow your career with interest and you will forgive me if I add, a little pride, because I shall always remember the difficult times we had in the early days of insulin.

I am sure that you will be a success in life if you maintain the same spirit in meeting the rebuffs of the world.Theodore Ryder rose to prominence in the 1980s, as from this point onwards the length of time that he had lived with his illness and his state of health made him an exception even among long-term survivors of diabetes.

The American Diabetes Society sells a coloring book for preschool children called “Teddy Ryder Rides Again” that aims to provide them with basic knowledge about the disease and its treatment.