According to the Australian Diabetes map, out of 253,012 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland, 15,290 are living with diabetes and have registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme. But it’s highly likely that there are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with diabetes who have not yet registered with the NDSS. Many of them don’t know the scheme even exists. And those that do know about it may not know how to go about getting registered.

Health professionals such as GP’s, Diabetes Educators and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners are usually the main people who help people get registered. For those who may not have a lot of contact with health professionals though, peers are usually the most effective in communicating the benefits of being registered. Peers are other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with lived experience who share their successes and challenges around diabetes management. Often, this information is presented in a culturally safe way, at the right time and in the right place.

Over the past 8 years, over 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with diabetes have generously captured their journey on film, ready to share with their community. The videos are available in a Diabetes Queensland YouTube Playlist, and we encourage health professionals to guide their clients and patients to this site. Hearing and seeing how other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are managing their diabetes might be just the right encouragement or support your client is looking for at that specific moment in time.

While not all video stories will resonate with each and every individual, there is enough variety in the video stories to cater to the diversity that exists in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Stories such as those from young Palm Islander, David Yasserie who was diagnosed in his early teens and is now managing his diabetes while balancing university studies and ongoing professional employment. Deb Debree, Kade Brindell and John Ridgeway share their stories around bariatric surgery and how this option has changed their life. Alfreida Roberts shares her positive experience around medications and James Sandy and Terri Salam share how they incorporate physical activity into their busy life. Uncle Robert Cole imparts strong words around demanding quality service from health professionals and Uncle Neil Appo shares some wisdom around keeping a track of your management routines and adjusting as life changes (as it always does).

Please don’t hesitate to share the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Diabetes Journeys video series with your patients, clients, families friends and community members.

See the video journey below to start the playlist series. You can also view the series on the Diabetes Queensland Youtube Channel.

You can view the Australian Diabetes Map in more detail here.