A COMIC book has been released to mark the 100th anniversary of the first time insulin was used to treat a patient with Type 1 diabetes.

The book - Generations - is the latest in a series of downloadable comics developed by Dr Mayank Patel, of University Hospital Southampton, and Dr Partha Kar, of Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

On January 11 1922 insulin was given to Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old Canadian boy who was dying from Type 1 diabetes.

Up until then the illness had killed everyone who contracted it.

The free-to-read comics have been developed to help support those with the condition, raise awareness and challenge misconceptions.

Dr Patel was keen to use the latest story to highlight the strides that have been taken since the first use of the insulin in humans.

“It’s easy to forget how much progress has been made around the use of insulin, an important hormone for all of us," he said.

"We really wanted to mark this first insulin-use moment in the best way we knew we could - through the medium of comic book art.

“We hope this story will help everyone learn a lot more about insulin.

"It’s been a joy to work on this and we sincerely hope the readers get as much enjoyment from reading it as we did in creating the story.”

Type 1 diabetes, which often develops before the age of 40, occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin to regulate the level of sugar in the blood.

Too much blood glucose can lead to organ damage.

There is currently no cure, which means patients have to take insulin on a daily basis and make healthy lifestyle choices such as reducing sugar in their diet and not smoking.

The comics have proved popular with patients and their families, with the three previous editions being downloaded more than 15,000 times worldwide.