Profile Name: Joseph Lacroix Age: 54 Occupation: Aboriginal Elder/Woodcarver Diabetes: Type 2

Joseph's story

Diabetes is 3 to 5 times more prevalent in Aboriginal communities than in the population at large. The major risk factors are considered to be obesity stemming from the shift from a traditional diet to a diet high in fats and sugars, and a shift from a physically active life to a more sedentary one.

These facts are nothing new to Joseph who believes he may very well have had Type 2 diabetes since high school. Through the years, some of the physical complications that he has experienced include excessive urination, dryness of mouth, dizziness, neuropathy, slow healing, poor eyesight, kidney problems, and amputation. Diabetes hasn't just changed Joseph physically, it has also changed him spiritually and emotionally. Diabetes has made him very much aware of what he does and who he is as a person.

Joseph's condition has also made him aware of the lack of diabetes knowledge within Aboriginal communities, and the effect that this lack of knowledge has on the overall well-being of these communities. For this reason, Joseph takes every opportunity to teach people about diabetes and about what living with diabetes is all about.

"Having diabetes is not the end of the world. It is about proper eating, proper living and taking care of yourself physically. You can go out and do whatever you need to do as long as you recognize that there has to be a change in your daily living," says Joseph.