The Doctor who Dreamed‘ tells the unheard tale of an inspirational doctor, who struggles in the face of stigma and poverty to give children with Type 1 diabetes the chance of a normal life.
In many developing countries, children with Type 1 diabetes face a lifetime of discrimination and an ongoing struggle for survival. 
Dr Sharad Pendsey has witnessed firsthand the devastating decisions faced by families, with insulin for one child costing up to half of their monthly income. Through his efforts he has provided over six hundred Type 1 diabetic children with medical care and education to help them escape the cycle of poverty.
As this remarkable man battles diabetes on a small scale, health experts have realised that we cannot afford to ignore the implications of chronic diseases any longer. Despite receiving only around 2% of international aid, last year Non-Communicable Diseases (cancer, diabetes, chronic heart disease, cancer) were the world’s second largest killers. The epidemic is growing and a UN Summit will take place in September to discuss the way we deal with such conditions in the future.
This documentary is the story of Dr Pendsey and his patients, who struggle to live with a condition that we treat every day here in the United Kingdom. As Lucy Laycock meets patients from the Trust, the documentary discovers the complex social and economic problems these children face, and explores why, 89 years after the discovery of life-saving insulin, children are still dying.
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The project received funding from One World Media.
I would like to thank Dr Pendsey, Seema, his staff and patients at the DREAM Trust, Mary Louise Hayes, and everyone else who made this documentary possible.
There is more information about Dr Pendsey’s work at www.dreamtrust.org, where donations to the trust can also be made.
The Doctor who Dreamed 