Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. Charles Best Insulin discovery

Banting & Best: The Discovery That Changed the World

On my walk through the lovely Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I came across the final resting places of Frederick Banting and Charles Best — the duo who co-discovered insulin and, in doing so, changed the world.

Their breakthrough came just over 100 years ago, in the labs of the University of Toronto. On January 23, 1922, a young 14-year-old boy named Leonard Thompson became the first person to receive an insulin injection as treatment for diabetes. His condition improved dramatically. What had once been a fatal diagnosis could now be managed. It was, without exaggeration, a medical miracle.

For this work, Banting and John Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1923. Because Charles Best was still a graduate student at the time, he was not officially included. However, Banting, in a gesture of recognition, shared his prize money with Best — a testament to their shared contribution.

Dr. John Macleod shared the 1923 Nobel Prize with Dr. Banting.

Tragically, Banting died in a plane crash near Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland, in February 1941 while en route to England during WWII. He was just 49 years old.

In 2004, Banting was named one of the top ten Greatest Canadians by CBC viewers. When the final votes were tallied, he placed fourth — behind Tommy Douglas, Terry Fox, and Pierre Trudeau.

Charles Best lived to see the long arc of insulin’s legacy. He died in Toronto on March 31, 1978, at the age of 79. As the longest-living co-discoverer of insulin, he received countless honours and accolades throughout his life.

1891-1941 (Dr. Frederick Banting)

1899-1978 (Dr. Charles Best)

Items placed on top of Dr. Banting’s headstone including a note of thanks for his enormous contribution in medicine and the peoples lives he touched and ultimately saved.