Jesus – The Master Healer

By Lavell Lucas 10/1/2024

As I was reading my Bible I came across the story of this young lady whom Jesus healed after some called her dead, but Jesus said that she was “sleeping.” Being T1D myself for more than 25 years, I envisioned her being type 1 diabetic (like me) and in a diabetic coma with no hope of recovery, on her way to death.

Many children were treated this way prior to the discovery of the effects of insulin injections. I have read stories in the past of hospital wards filled with children who were lifeless and some comatose, wasting away until a doctor and his nurse went through the entire ward injecting insulin into the children and “bringing them back to life.”

Thesis: Jesus, centuries before diabetes (pancreatic insulin insufficiency or resistance) was diagnosed and centuries before the discovery of the benefits of recombinant DNA technology, was able to treat type1 diabetes mellitus (juvenile diabetes – the inability to make insulin)

 Consider the following scenarios and the parallels presented

Mark 5:25

25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, ( same DNA) and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying   ”……….” 41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. (Juvenile) And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. (This is exactly what you would do for a diabetic after treating them with insulin to avoid low blood sugar response)

Elsie Needham was admitted to Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in October, 1922. The 11 year old girl from Galt, Ontario was in a diabetic coma and on the edge of death.[19] Prior to her parents deciding to send her to Toronto, medical professionals who had examined the young girl declared her condition hopeless.

Within a few days of her arrival to the Hospital for Sick Children, Elsie was still in a coma and began receiving insulin treatments by Dr. Banting and Dr. Gladys Boyd, the head of the Hospital’s new diabetic clinic. Banting worked tirelessly to save her life, monitoring her symptoms and evaluating her response to treatment. Banting is quoted as saying, “I lived at the hospital day and night for three days and was there every few hours for a week.”[20] In the most spectacular effect, Elsie returned to consciousness as if she had risen from the dead. Within a few days, under the watchful eye of astonished medical attendees, Elsie started to regain her strength, so much so that she was able to write to her father with the hopes of returning home soon. 

Elsie is the first child to recover from a diabetic coma as a result of insulin. With the help of the miracle treatment, Elsie returned to Galt and was able to resume her schooling in January, 1923. Little more is known about Elsie Needham, with her last sighting recorded as being “alive as late as 1946.”[21]

https://definingmomentscanada.ca/insulin100/history/early-patients

Photograph of Elsie Needham, c. 1925. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin, University of Toronto.