Transcript - Disability Champion Danielle
[Danielle Disability Champion]
I didn't think I had a future three years ago.To be honest, I thought I'm not going to get out of where I am. I was in a very, very deep depression and I was starting to think horrible thoughts, but now, I'm doing study and stuff like that, and someone actually asked me a few months ago where do you want, what do you want to be when you grow up?Write five things down, and surprisingly enough, the first one was to be a Centrelink worker. I can see that now happening.To be able to help people. I’ve been there, done that. I can give them an insight and help them to do what they want to do, and when they've got no hope, there is hope out there. I've done it. I'm living proof that it can be done.
[Voiceover]
Danielle puts down her remarkable transformation to a number of things, but one of the main ones even surprised her. It was study.
[Danielle]
It's given me a lot of confidence. I’m not sitting around the house, feeling sorry for myself. Even though half the time, you know, I sit on my couch and I do my study on my couch, or I come out here where it's lovely and get into the fresh air, and do my study, even if it's only for half an hour.
[Voiceover]
This was a woman who didn't finish school. Now she's studying a Bachelor of Business and she's pretty proud of it.
[Danielle]
And of course, when you see the A's and the B's, compared to D's and F's in high school.Yeah, it just kind of builds you up and you go,’Yeah, I can do this.’
[Danielle presenting clothes to client from catalogue]
…If you order this one, you get long sleeve tops…
[Voiceover]
But it's not the only change in her life. She's also selling clothes through a party plan.
[Danielle]
The reason why I chose to do it is because to meet new people,to get out there. My public speaking wasn't too good. I didn't like meeting people, but now. I get out there and you know, I did like four parties last week and did quite an amazing amount of sales and I'm getting out there, meeting new people, and it’s allowing me to have that extra money comein to be able to do my study, to be able to buy my books and buy the things that I need for my study and stuff like that.
[Katrina, Friend]
I never thought she'd come out of her shell and you know, interact with people.Whereas now, she's a lot different, a lot different person and doing really well, and I’ve even told her I am proud of her for doing it.
[Voiceover]
Danielle has diabetes, but she's found doing more has actually helped.
[Danielle]
I've got constant pins and needles.My hands have now gone numb; my feet are numb from my knees down. I have a lot of ankle problems and just a lot of muscle problems, but I am enjoying it. I’m actually having fun. So, in doing the study and everything, it has actually taken my mind off the condition that I do have, which is being a Type 1diabetic. I used to sit there and monitor everything I did.I'd make sure I’d eat every two hours. I'd make sure I'd do everything.Now I’m not so worried about going into a hypo because I'm moving, I'm more active.
I'm getting more exercise and the more I do that, the less hypos I actually do have.So the less hypos you have, the more chance you have of not deteriorating, so it's with my health and my blood sugar levels and that. They're actually a lot steadier, a lot more normal and it's getting me on top of everything now.
[Text on screen]
Support. Connect. Achieve
For more information visit humanservices.gov.au/dsp