The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has pledged to speak with a bereaved father whose two-year-old daughter died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes last year.
Speaking on BBC Radio Humberside on Thursday, January 22, Wes Streeting has agreed to talk with John Story about mandatory type 1 diabetes testing for children where any symptoms appear, after the NHS missed the signs when his daughter Lyla Story showed symptoms such as increased thirst and more frequent wet nappies.
On May 3, 2025, Lyla tragically died in her sleep just 16 hours after being diagnosed with tonsillitis by a GP, despite Lyla’s mother and grandmother reporting concerning symptoms at the face-to-face appointment. Lyla’s cause of death was undiagnosed type 1 diabetes, which led to acute diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and a gastrointestinal bleed.
The Health Secretary has previously committed to improving diabetes care and detection as part of the NHS 10-Year Plan. John now hopes to introduce him to Lyla’s Law, a proposal that would make routine diabetes testing mandatory for babies, toddlers, children and adolescents whenever any of the ‘4 T’s’ appear: Toileting, Thirst, Tiredness and Thinning.
Having become a passionate advocate for routine diabetes testing, John is determined to keep Lyla’s memory alive by safeguarding other children from the same outcome.
During the radio conversation, John said: “Mr Streeting, I have tried for seven months to meet with you to discuss the Lyla’s Law campaign.
“There are too many people getting diagnosed [with type 1 diabetes] in critical care, especially young children who cannot advocate for themselves and express what they are feeling, so please understand the urgency of this meeting.”
He continued: “Every day that passes, somebody else gets diagnosed [with type 1 diabetes] in critical care. It’s on your watch Wes, please meet with me.”
In response, the Health Secretary said: “That’s the easiest question to answer. Yes, I’ll definitely do that.
“If you pass me the details, I’ll get my office to get in touch as quickly as we can. That’s one waiting list that I can directly manage. It’ll be a lot faster than 18 weeks.”
John concluded: “Meeting with Wes Streeting is a crucial step for our campaign. I hope this conversation will bring Lyla’s Law closer to becoming a reality, so that no other family has to go through the heartbreak we experienced. This is about turning our tragedy into action and protecting children across the country.”
In the spring of 2026, Lyla’s Law will be debated in Parliament after the petition surpassed 121,000 signatures in December 2025.
For more information about the dangers of type 1 diabetes in babies and infants, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1DkLDF_Zc_s.
For more information about the Lyla’s Law petition, visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/728677.
