A DIABETES patient who feared he would lose a limb has been awarded a medal after successfully managing his condition for half a century.

Denis Chirgwin of Malvern, a patient at Upton Surgery, has been awarded the Alan Nabarro medal for his efforts to live a full life with the condition after he was diagnosed as a teenager.

Mr Chirgwin and wife Shelley attended the ceremony on his 66th birthday at Upton Surgery.

He said: “I was 16 when I was first diagnosed with diabetes and had to spend many weeks in hospital. The future was uncertain back then and I thought I’d end up losing a limb. I’ve had to administer over 90,000 injections on myself and I’m working towards 100,000.”

Mr Chirgwin has seen dramatic changes in diabetes care in the past 50 years and offers advice to anyone who has had a recent diagnosis.

He added: “Diabetes has never stopped me from living a full and wonderful life and I’m still working to this day. I hope that new diabetics will see there is no need to fear for their future and I have always appreciated the doctors and staff who have helped me over the years to cope with diabetes.”

GP partner, Dr Gail Wetmore, who presented him with his award, said: “Living with this condition is not always easy and Denis is a great example of how diabetes doesn’t have to control your life.”

Diabetes UK have other medals, which are all named after a leading figure in the diabetes community, to present to people who have had type 1 diabetes for 60, 70 and 80 years.