 As the title suggests, James was a trailblazer in many ways, two of which are: as an African American living in a society that had not yet learned the lessons of civil rights, and as a man with diabetes who came of age in an era when people with diabetes were in, as he put it, "the diabetic closet." These are the threads that run throughout his life, and they poignantly overlap, as he had to negotiate both the challenges of racial discrimination and a complex disease that is difficult to manage.
James Quander lived in a time when the technology of rigid glucose monitoring did not exist, and thus the daily managing of diabetes was a time-consuming and inaccurate process. Yet despite these hardships, which are familiar to many who have lived with diabetes for more than 50 years, James Quander was determined to live a healthy and happy life. And he succeeded due to a life of discipline regarding his eating habits, his physical activity and his ability to understand that stress does have an impact on the disease.
James also benefited from the support and love of his family. We know through our research from Joslin 50-Year Medalists (people who have lived with type 1 diabetes for 50 years, a very rare group of people), that support and understanding are as important as physically managing the disease. James Quander lived with diabetes for 80 years and he clearly recognized that without his family, he would not have been able to manage the many challenges of diabetes.
George L. King, M.D.
Director of Research, Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, Mass.
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
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