Dad hails diabetes meeting with Health Secretary

16 hours ago

Holly PhillipsEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Two-year-old Lyla Story died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes

Story family A head and shoulders picture of a two-year-old girl, Lyla, while on a swing in a children's park. She has short brown hair and is smiling broadly at the camera. She is wearing a pink cardigan and pink top. — Two-year-old Lyla Story died from undiagnosed type 1 diabetes

A father campaigning for changes to diabetes testing says a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting was "very positive".

Lyla Story died in May 2025, less than a day after a doctor diagnosed her with acute tonsillitis. An inquest in September heard she had undiagnosed type 1 diabetes.

Lyla's father, John Story, said: "To be sat in front of Wes Streeting... and making a commitment to trying to ensure that change can happen is very positive indeed."

Streeting said: "I'd like to thank John for meeting me today and speaking so candidly of his heartbreaking loss."

He added: "The courage he has shown to campaign so powerfully, at such a time of unimaginable grief, is truly inspiring and will help ensure no other families suffer as his have."

The meeting earlier came a day after Lyla's Law, which would see routine paediatric testing for those showing symptoms, was debated in Parliament.

Supporters took part in a peaceful demonstration on Monday as Lyla's parents handed in the petition, which attracted more than 120,000 signatures, to 10 Downing Street.

The debate concluded with "the ayes have it", which confirmed that MPs backed the call for change.

The government previously said it had no plans to introduce routine testing "at the current time".

Emma and John Story met with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday

Carla Greene/BBC Emma and John Story sat on chairs behind a large square table in an office space. Emma Story is wearing a black leather jacket and an orange lanyard. She has her brown hair tied back. John Story is sat next to her wearing a light pink shirt and a black zip-up fleece undone. He has short, light brown hair and is also wearing an orange lanyard. He is looking down at some paperwork on the table in front of him. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is sat on another side of the table, facing Emma and John Story. He has his hands clasped in front of him and is wearing a blue suit, a dark-coloured tie and a light-coloured shirt. He has short brown hair. — Emma and John Story met with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday

Speaking to Carla Green from BBC Radio Humberside after Tuesday's meeting, Story said Streeting agreed to look at Lyla's Law.

"He believes that it's going to be an ongoing thing because, as we know, Rome wasn't built in a day," Story said.

Lyla's father admitted he "got a bit weepy" during the meeting.

"I'm not just feeling the raw emotion of losing Lyla, I'm feeling the weight that everyone carries around type 1 diabetes and the stigma that they face," he said.

"I feel a little bit lifted now, but, as with everything in politics, these things take time.

"Let's get education right, let's get accountability right and let's stop people getting too ill before they're diagnosed."

Streeting added: "No child should be let down by the NHS the way Lyla was and I'm determined to make real improvements in diagnosing type 1 diabetes to make sure it never happens again.

"That's why NHS England are working on how we can better support staff to diagnose patients as quickly as possible and Lyla's lasting legacy is one that saves lives."

Dame Diana Johnson, MP for Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham, who was also at the meeting, said she was "immensely proud" of Lyla's parents.

She described them as "remarkable campaigners" and noted "that Hull spirit of people who care and want to do the right thing".

Story said: "I just genuinely feel that there's been a lot of love from the public, from a local MP and I even feel that Wes is warming to the fact that Lyla's Law is important."

He told supporters of Lyla's Law to "keep fighting... keep being an incredible family".

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