Transplant Center

Patient Testimonials

55-Year Diabetic "Can now leave the house without fear" After Islet Cell Transplant

William Lackey finds new hope with the University of Maryland Medical Center's transplant program.

William Lackey

I've been diabetic since 1949, before my 5th birthday. Immediately I felt different. My brother was two years younger than me and he got all the good stuff in the

Easter basket. I got oranges, apples, celery and carrots and guess what? I stole most of his candy because I didn't get any! I went through my ups and downs all through my childhood. I didn't like being different. I am oldest of four children. My younger brother died of complications from diabetes, and my sister now interested in the Islet cell procedure. As an adult my blood sugar levels were very erratic. Sometimes I could feel them and do something about them, but other times I couldn't. My blood sugars were very low, sometimes below 20. Doctors said my blood sugars were sometimes so low that they just didn't have equipment low enough to get a reading. My wife and several employers have called the paramedics numerous times because of my seizures and blackouts.

I had been involved in several automobile accidents as a result of my low blood sugar levels. Once, I blacked out while I was riding my motorcycle and ran into a chain-link fence. I don't remember the previous half hour of that accident. And there were other episodes.

In November of 2002 a friend of mine and I rode our motorcycles to North Carolina. I rode for about 12 miles and I was doing fine. The last thing that I remember was seeing a pickup truck in the center lane with his left-hand blinker on. The next thing I remember I was in the emergency ward of a small hospital in North Carolina. I suffered a shattered collarbone and multiple fractures in seven ribs. As a result of that, due to one complication after another, I spent 40 days in the hospital.

Throughout the years, I went through so many doctors trying to find ways that would help me control my diabetes, and I couldn't.

Finally, I went on the Internet and found out about the pancreas transplant program at the University of Maryland Medical Center. I sent Dr. Stephen Bartlett [acting chief of surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center] an e-mail. I told him I'd been turned down for a pancreas at another hospital because I'm over 50 years of age and asked if he would consider someone over 50. I got an e-mail back from him and he said 'Yes, we've done transplants for people over 60. I said 'Good, there's hope.'

In January 2001, I came to the Medical Center for an evaluation. My insurance carrier would not cover pancreas transplant alone (PTA). Then one of the research/nurse coordinators told me about the Islet Cell Transplant program. I was accepted into that program and I waited for three years for a pancreas donor.

When I received a call on June 14, 2004 that they had found a donor pancreas, I came right way. I arrived at the Medical Center at 1:30 a.m on June 15th and had the procedure done around 10 a.m. I spent four days in the hospital. I felt okay after procedure, and soon after, I was out and about.

Since I've been home my blood sugars have leveled out and I take 50 percent less insulin than I took before. Most of the insulin is now provided by the islet cells.

One of the social workers originally asked me 'what do you think will be your biggest benefit [of the transplant]?' and I said being able to walk out of the house without fear because I did not know when my blood sugar was going to drop. Well now I am now able to leave the house without fear. This has been great for me.

I don't have blackouts anymore. I've experienced some blood sugar lows but not as frequently as I had before. This [transplant] has been a dream to me.

I have recommended the University of Maryland Medical Center, the doctors, the staff and the transplant program all over the world through an Internet group I belong to. And I've had inquiries from various people. I've sent the press release to about a half a dozen people in different parts of the country. So it's No. 1 in my book.

If you would like to make an appointment or talk to someone about our services, please call 410-328-5408 or 1-800-492-5538.

This page was last updated on: May 30, 2007.