Despite his 13 years of experience as a voluntary fire fighter, Stuart Murdoch’s application to become a professional member of the fire brigade in his home town of Fish Hoek, South Africa was rejected – because he had type 1 diabetes. Upon hearing of his employers’ decision to discriminate against him on the grounds of his condition, Stuart felt indignant and deflated; but he was not defeated. This is his account of how his successful struggle against ignorance and discrimination changed the law for people with diabetes in South Africa.