We celebrate the commitment that was made 75 years ago by the Scottish doctor, R D Lawrence, and the writer, H G Wells, both of whom had diabetes, to establish a charity—the Diabetic Association—which aimed to ensure that everyone in the United Kingdom could gain access to insulin, whatever their financial situation.We also recognise the contribution of J J R Macleod through the part that he played in the Nobel prize-winning team that discovered and developed insulin.