MODEL RELEASED. MODEL RELEASED. Insulin injection. Five-year-old girl with the conditon diabetes mellitus injecting herself with insulin using a novopen. The novopen is a pen-like device which meters out the correct dose of insulin from a portable cartridge. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, which converts blood sugar to energy. Diabetes mellitus occurs when too little insulin is made. The consequence is that the body uses fats as an alternative to sugar. This causes ketone build-up which can lead to coma. The treatment for this type of diabetes is a strict diet and regular doses of insulin.