---
title: Madeleine Bebout
---

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# Madeleine Bebout

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Photo: Cleveland Clinic Archives | Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

![four nurses and a girl on steps in front of office in 1920s](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202023/Image-Figure-Section-Crop_Orphan_820x420.jpg?width=820&height=420&name=Image-Figure-Section-Crop_Orphan_820x420.jpg)

Orphan **Madeleine Bebout** was one of the first children with diabetes in the world to benefit from lifesaving insulin treatment at Cleveland Clinic in the 1920s. Physician Henry John, MD, became her legal guardian, and she was unofficially adopted by staff nurses. Madeleine even got her own nursing uniform as a birthday gift. She wore it to “treat” her dolls for various ailments and to reassure real-life patients before operations. 

## In this Issue

### [![Collage of six nurses](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202023/Small-Thumbnail_CoverStory_242x214.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Small-Thumbnail_CoverStory_242x214.jpg) COVER STORY 'It's Not What I Do; It's Who I Am'](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2023-summer/its-not-what-i-do-its-who-i-am?hsLang=en)

### [![Female doctor talking to male doctor in research lab](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202023/Small-Thumbnail_Research_242x214.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Small-Thumbnail_Research_242x214.jpg) FEATURE Rising Stars of Research](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2023-summer/rising-stars-of-research?hsLang=en)

### [![Black woman in blue scrubs looking in blue bin from shelf of blue bins](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202023/Small-Thumbnail_Earn_242x214.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Small-Thumbnail_Earn_242x214.jpg) FEATURE Earning and Learning](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2023-summer/earning-and-learning?hsLang=en)

### [![Senior couple standing next to award](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/hs-fs/hubfs/CC%20Magazine/Summer%202023/Small-Thumbnail_Hartless_242x214.jpg?width=242&height=214&name=Small-Thumbnail_Hartless_242x214.jpg) IN GRATITUDE Carole and Rod Hartless](https://magazine.clevelandclinic.org/2023-summer/carole-and-rod-hartless?hsLang=en)

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