Arnold Castillo on the importance of connecting with CALD communities
“People with diabetes go on different journeys. We share the same condition, but we have many different experiences,” says Arnold Castillo, who lives with type 1 diabetes.
“What we have in common is the support we get from Diabetes Victoria.”
Arnold was diagnosed at 17 after his rapid weight loss prompted a visit to the doctor.
He recalls his parents crying in the car on the way home, concerned about their son’s future.
“I come from a working class, migrant background,” Arnold explains.
“In the Philippines, diabetes was seen as an early death sentence because you didn’t have access to diabetes medicine, technology or the support Diabetes Victoria provides.
“I have aunts and uncles who have passed in their 40s and 50s because the medication in the Philippines is not affordable.
“When I was first diagnosed I had so many people coming to the hospital who thought I wouldn’t survive for long.” Arnold says Diabetes Victoria plays a pivotal role in educating people about the condition and campaigning to reduce diabetes stigma and dispel misinformation.
He praises the way Diabetes Victoria connects with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in particular. “The resources Diabetes Victoria provides and the way they deliver that information to different cultures helped my extended family to understand that I could live a normal life,” he says.
“The education programs Diabetes Victoria delivers has helped the Filipino community understand that we can manage this condition and live well.
“I feel privileged that I live in Australia and I have the support of Diabetes Victoria.”
