Empowering kids with type 1 diabetes through a comic book hero

Creating Captain Lantus

Max is a kid living with diabetes and he came up with the idea of a superhero just like him. Being a huge fan of superheroes, Max thought, “Iron Man is kept alive by his chest, and I’m kept alive by my insulin pump — so it’s like my insulin pump gives me superpowers,” and that’s how Captain Lantus was born!

It started as a school project: Max wrote a story about a superhero inspired by his comic books, his experiences living with type 1 diabetes, and his very own insulin pump superpowers. He worked with his father, Gary, taking turns to write alternate lines of the story, and they kept building from there. 

Max shared it with his classmates so they could learn about diabetes, but it was also about making it fun and not just about education. Creations such as Beta Town, Mayor Bolus, and King Carb are all inspired by the things kids with diabetes have to think about every day.
 

From concept to comic book

One evening after Max and Gary had been working on Captain Lantus together, Gary went to bed and couldn’t get the idea out of his head. Max was so excited about the idea that his insulin pump gave him superpowers and that there were so many other kids with type 1 diabetes that the two wanted to share Captain Lantus with them so they could feel the same way. 

So, they collaborated with some amazing illustrators and editors to turn Max’s creation into the Adventures of Captain Lantus — a print and e-book which is now available to buy. Their goal is to get this story into the hands of every child living with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes diagnosis

Max has lived with diabetes since he was 18 months old. He was admitted to the hospital with severely high blood sugars and went into a coma. Max had been ill for some time with all the symptoms of weight loss, excessive thirst, and needing to use the toilet all the time, but he was initially diagnosed with just a cold. Luckily, his mother Sarah heard a segment on television about diabetes — all his symptoms matched, and his parents were able to get Max treated just in time.
 

Max’s superpower: The MiniMed™ 780G system

In the early years, Max used injections, but because he was small and very sensitive to carbohydrates, his sugars could swing very rapidly. His parents were waking up every hour throughout the night for over a year to check his glucose levels. 

Max went onto his first insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor when he was three years old, and it was completely life-changing for the whole family. Max was among the first in the United Kingdom to transition to the latest MiniMed™ 780G system with Meal Detection™ technology. 

One of the best features for his parents was the CareLink™ Connect app, which connects to their smartphones so they can always easily keep an eye on what’s going on. Gary and Sarah feel so much more at ease knowing that Max’s blood sugar is stable, and he is safe.

Max really does believe his insulin pump gives him superpowers. For his family, it means Max can be just like any other kid, running around playing football all day.

Find out more about the Adventures of Captain Lantus at CaptainLantus.com.

Note at time of writing: Max (age 7), from Staffordshire, England
 

Important safety information: MiniMed™ 780G system with SmartGuard™ technology with Guardian™ 4 sensor

The MiniMed™ 780G system is intended for continuous delivery of basal insulin at selectable rates, and the administration of insulin boluses at selectable amounts for the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in persons seven years of age and older requiring insulin as well as for the continuous monitoring and trending of glucose levels in the fluid under the skin. The MiniMed™ 780G system includes SmartGuard™ technology, which can be programmed to automatically adjust insulin delivery based on the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor glucose values and can suspend delivery of insulin when the sensor glucose (SG) value falls below or is predicted to fall below predefined threshold values.

The Medtronic MiniMed™ 780G system consists of the following devices: MiniMed™ 780G insulin pump, the Guardian™ 4 transmitter, the Guardian™ 4 sensor, One-press serter, the Accu-Chek™ Guide Link blood glucose meter, and the Accu-Chek™ Guide test strips. The system requires a prescription from a healthcare professional.

The Guardian™ 4 sensor is intended for use with the MiniMed™ 780G system and the Guardian 4 transmitter to monitor glucose levels for the management of diabetes. The sensor is intended for single use and requires a prescription. The Guardian™ 4 sensor is indicated for up to seven days of continuous use.

The Guardian™ 4 sensor is not intended to be used directly to make therapy adjustments while the MiniMed™ 780G is operating in manual mode. All therapy adjustments in manual mode should be based on measurements obtained using a blood glucose meter and not on values provided by the Guardian™ 4 sensor. The Guardian™ 4 sensor has been studied and is approved for use in patients ages 7 years and older and in the arm insertion site only. Do not use the Guardian™ 4 sensor in the abdomen or other body sites including the buttocks, due to unknown or different performance that could result in hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
 

WARNING: Do not use the MiniMed™ 780G system until appropriate training has been received from a healthcare professional. Training is essential to ensure the safe use of the MiniMed™ 780G system.
 

WARNING: Do not use SG values to make treatment decisions, including delivering a bolus, while the pump is in Manual Mode. When the SmartGuard™ feature is active and you are no longer in Manual Mode, the pump uses an SG value, when available, to calculate a bolus amount. However, if your symptoms do not match the SG value, use a BG meter to confirm the SG value. Failure to confirm glucose levels when your symptoms do not match the SG value can result in the infusion of too much or too little insulin, which may cause hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
 

Pump therapy is not recommended for people whose vision or hearing does not allow for the recognition of pump signals, alerts, or alarms. The safety of the MiniMed™ 780G system has not been studied in pregnant women, persons with type 2 diabetes, or in persons using other anti-hyperglycemic therapies that do not include insulin. For complete details of the system, including product and important safety information such as indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions associated with system and its components, please consult https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/important-safety-information#minimed-… and the appropriate user guide at https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/download-library