May 26, 2026 • 42 mins
At just 9 years old, Constanza’s life changed forever after being rushed into intensive care with diabetic ketoacidosis. What was first believed to be a COVID complication became a Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis — one that would require daily insulin, constant monitoring, discipline, and learning how to hold life in her hands at an age when most children are simply learning how to be kids.
But what amazes me most about Constanza is not just her strength through chronic illness… it’s who she has chosen to become because of it. 💙
Now only 13 years old and living in Cancún, México, Constanza is already using her voice to advocate for children and adolescents in her community. She currently serves as the Technical Secretary of the SIPINNA Advisory Council for Children and Adolescents in Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo, while also helping work toward a diabetes census and education program in her municipality to create greater awareness, access, and support for families navigating Type 1 Diabetes.
And somehow — in the middle of all of that — she continues showing up with grace, courage, intelligence, discipline, and kindness beyond her years.
This episode moved me deeply.
Constanza reminds us that resilience has no age. That leadership can begin in pain. And that even the hardest diagnoses do not get to define the fullness of who we are.
Thank you, Constanza, for trusting The Resilience Files: Unlocked with your story. Your voice matters. Your advocacy matters. And I know your story is going to help so many people around the world feel less alone. 🌎✨
🎙️ Holding Life in My Hands — now part of Season 2 of The Resilience Files: Unlocked.
📍Cancún, México
💙 Type 1 Diabetes Advocate
🎤 Youth Leader
⛸️ Athlete
🌎 Changemaker
Follow & support Constanza: @constanza.guillen
📅 New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
When you feel like life has dealt you a hand of
unfair cards.
Instead of voting, you doubledown.
You stuck in the game.
You face battles.
You felt broken.
But hey, do us a favor.
Put your hand on your heart.
You feel that.
You're still here.
Welcome to the Resilience FilesUnlocked, where survival meets
(00:25):
transformation.
SPEAKER_01 (00:29):
Welcome back to the Resilience Files Unlocked.
I'm your host, Carrie Vernanz.
We are so excited to share thisepisode with you today.
This space was created forhonest conversations about
survival, reinvention, healing,and the quiet strength it takes
to keep going when life doesn'tlook like what you imagined.
Today's special guest,Constanza, is a young leader
(00:52):
from Cancun, Mexico, whose lifechanged at nine years old when
she went into a diabetic episodeand she was hospitalized in
intensive care.
I'm gonna let Constanza tell herstory.
Like we do here always on theResilience Styles podcast, we
share our guest essay with you.
(01:12):
Costanza wanted to read itherself.
She is young and doing it.
Costanza, without further ado,you take us away.
SPEAKER_02 (01:21):
Yeah, thank you very much for the opportunity for
sharing such a special event ofmy life in such a special place.
Absolutely.
Thank you.
Well, um, without no furtherdelay, I will start.
I was nine years and nine monthsold when my life changed
(01:41):
forever.
In June 2022, I became verysick.
At the same time, I had COVIDand my brain became fast and
difficult.
Everyone thought it was acomplication from the virus.
What we didn't know was that mybody was shutting down in a
deeper way.
When we arrived at the emergencyroom, I was already sleeping in
(02:06):
and out of consciousness.
I remember feeling very faraway, very tired, and at one
point I remember seeing a lighton the end of a tunnel.
I don't know how long I wasthere, but I know that the
doctors acted fast.
A paediatrician recognized whatwas really happening.
I was expecting the outset oftype 1 diabetes, and I was
(02:31):
already in a diabetic ketosis.
That moment saved my life.
I spent five days in intensivecare and many more days
hospitalized, not onlyrecovering, but learning.
Learning how to survive in abody that now depended on
insulin to stay alive.
(02:51):
With type 1 diabetes, insulin isnot optional.
Without it, you cannot live.
Managing it correctly iscomplex, demanding, and
constant.
In many ways, it means holdinglife gently in your hands every
single day.
When I left the hospital, I wasalready worrying a continuous
(03:13):
glucosensor.
Later, I started using aninsulin pump.
These technologies changed mylife, but access to them has not
been easy.
We have been able to afford themtreatment and technology because
my family has a private medicalinsurance.
Without it, many of these toolswill be out of reach.
(03:35):
Even today, some supplies weneed are difficult to get in
Mexico, and sometimes we mustbuy them outside the country
because the locals' options failtoo often.
Learning to live with type 1diabetes did not happen
overnight.
I learned through experience,education, and community.
(03:58):
I have attended several diabetescamps for children with type 1,
where I learned how to countcarbohydrates, how to adjust
insulin doses, how to injectmyself, how to measure my blood
glucose, how to eat, how tolisten to my body, and how to
take responsibility for myhealth.
(04:21):
This camp stop me that I am notalone and that loneliness is
power.
I have always practiced sportsand diabetes did not stop me.
Today I practice figure skating,karate, and tennis.
I hold a brown ball in karateand participated in the Quintana
(04:41):
Row state competitions in 2026.
Even thought I didn't advance tothe next stage.
It was my first time competingat that level, and I was proud
of myself for showing up.
Beyond sports, I discovered thatmy voice matters.
In 2025, I was selected as achild deputy for a day to
(05:04):
represent Cancun.
During my speech, I spoke aboutthe importance of eliminating
BAT on diabetes supplies becauseaccess to treatment should not
be a privilege.
I also serve as an executivesecretary on the Subina at
Bissori Council in BenitoJuarez, Cancun.
(05:24):
Subina is a council dedicated toprotecting the rights of
children and adolescents.
In November, I spoke before theSubina Assembly about the need
to increase education andawareness around type 1
diabetes.
Diabetes does not define me, butit has placed me on a more
(05:45):
complex level of the game oflife.
Managing insulin is difficult.
You never fully rest.
Diabetes is there 24 hours aday, 355 days a year, and for me
and for all my family.
Nights are interrupted byalarms, warning of dangerous
(06:06):
lows or highs.
You learn to live with needles,blood tests, and constant
decisions.
If living with type 1 diabeteslooks easy from outside, I
invite you to pause for a momentand imagine that every time you
eat, you have to stop, observeyour food, calculate
(06:27):
carbohydrates, and decide howmuch insulin your body will
need.
Knowing that even when you doeverything right, your glucose
can still rise or fall withoutwarning.
Living with white type 1diabetes learns carrying that
level of attention every singlesecond.
(06:49):
Your decisions can lead tofeeling well, to fading, or
overtime to seriouscomplications.
Because this may not be yourreality, you might never fully
feel what it's like, but I hopeunderstanding this inspires more
empathy, kindness, and awarenessin the way we talk about this
(07:11):
condition.
There are days I feel tired,frustrated, or wish I didn't
have diabetes.
This is not something youchoose.
You learn to live with it.
Like a mosquito that neverleaves you alone.
You learn to absorb the ways ofglucose and listen closely to
your body.
(07:32):
Today I see my story not only asa survival, but as a
responsibility.
I want to help educate othersand raise awareness in schools
in Cancun.
I study French, speak English,playing the piano, and reach the
second stage of the NodochanOlympiad in Quintana Roe in
2025.
(07:53):
I am still discovering who Iwant to be, but I am curious
about the medicine because Iunderstand what it means to care
for life.
JRBs has taught me discipline,empathy, awareness, and courage.
I am different.
I am accept that the differenceis part of who I am.
(08:13):
My journey is not easy.
Thank you very much for yourattention.
SPEAKER_01 (08:24):
Wow, Costanza, I'm gonna cry over here.
My wow, I'm so proud of you.
And you're 13 now.
SPEAKER_02 (08:35):
Yeah, it's gonna be like four years.
SPEAKER_01 (08:40):
Wow, you are so impressive.
I am so thankful you're here.
Thank you so much for justcoming on the podcast today and
for sharing your story.
You are so young and you are soinspirational.
And I can tell that you haveloving family around you.
And I just want to say like whatyou have done at the age of just
(09:05):
13 years old is a testament toyour strength and to your
abilities and to the love andsupport around you, but also to
just let everybody know thatjust because you've received a
diagnosis, it is not the end.
It's the beginning to somethingnew.
I'm excited to dive into thisepisode, but I want to know
(09:27):
like, how do you feel now thatyou've read the essay out out
loud?
SPEAKER_02 (09:33):
Like, I feel like I'm very happy that I had the
opportunity to show such aspecial event of my life for
many, many people in the world.
Like, I hope that this will helpchildren or people with type 1
diabetes to understand that itmay be difficult to live with
(09:55):
it, but it doesn't have to be alimit for yourself.
SPEAKER_01 (10:00):
Oh, chills.
It may be difficult to live withit, but it's not a limit for
yourself.
That is so beautiful.
You were nine years old whenyour life started to change.
Do you remember that moment ofwhat happened prior to that?
SPEAKER_02 (10:16):
Well, before I went hospitalized, I started losing a
lot of weight and like very Istarted being very thirsty,
feeling very weak.
I slept a lot of hours.
But to but everything of thehospitalization happened in a
(10:40):
Father's Day, and my dad took mefrom school at the Father's
Festival.
Oh wow.
And it was like all all all thekids from my school was like,
what are they taking Constanza?
Why are they taking it so soon?
Yeah.
But and then I they took mehome, they made me a COVID test,
(11:05):
and I still very, very, verybad.
I was like laying in my bed, andI thought like, geez, what's
happening?
I was like, I'm gonna die.
I felt very bad.
Then my father like tells to mymom, I need to go to work, but
you have to take instanza to thehospital.
(11:27):
This is not normal.
And then my mom gets the resultsof the COVID test, and I was
positive.
So she takes me to the onlyhospital in Cancun that accepted
people with COVID at the thatmoment because, well, we were in
the pandemic.
It was kind of difficult to finda place.
So they take me and they take meto urgency because I it was like
(11:52):
very critical.
And they start like making me alot of things.
It put me like a lot of needlesinside me.
I was like, what the what ishappening?
And I started to faint because Istarted like to close my eyes,
and then I have a doctor next tome saying, Don't close your
eyes, don't go to the light.
And it's like, what ishappening?
(12:13):
And then I they put me like amask, and I start to sleep, like
very sleepy.
And when I wake up, I'm in alittle, little tiny room with
just a little window with abunch of nurses around me, like
managing my teens, and I'm like,what happened?
(12:35):
And then they never told me,like, it's like three days that
they told me, and my mom goes inand she tells me you're finally
awake.
And it seems that it was likethree days since sleep, and then
they start telling me like youhave something, and we need to
take out drops on you every day,and we need to put you something
(12:57):
called insulin.
And I was like, What is this?
What happened just drinkingorange juice one month ago?
They told me like you're gonnabe here like for three, four
days more, and then we will putyou in a huge room where your
father will finally come to seeyou because my mom just could go
(13:21):
by like one time a day, one oncea day.
So it was like I felt very alonebecause the nurses were like
nearby, but they almost nevertalked to me.
And the the kind nurses thatlike one even gave me his cell
phone to watch Netflix, and Iwas like very happy because I
(13:46):
was very bored because and itwas very cold the room because
they had to manage the COVIDbacteria.
I don't know why, but yeah, itwas very cold.
And it was like, but then theafter that moment, the guy of
the cell phone disappeared andshe and he never came back, and
(14:06):
I was like, what happened?
Where's that guy?
And the time passed, like it waslike the second day I was awake
in that room, and it comes thepediatrician to treat me, and he
like makes something and he putsme something in my arm, and I
was like, What's that?
(14:27):
And he tells me, it's a glucosesensor.
And she just walks outside andbe like, What's a glucose
sensor?
What's that?
Right, and finally every daycame a nurse with a huge nettle
to take me my blood from me.
Was like, why do you need totake so much blood?
(14:48):
And she always told me, like,it's for tests.
I can't do anything for you, butyou will need to just let me put
the needle in you.
So bye.
And she just went by, put thenettle inside me, take out the
blood, bye, and then put it inmy teen over there, and never
(15:09):
knew what happened with myblood.
Then they started like umputting mini nails in my
fingers, so to take up blood.
Again, a lot of blood.
So they killed like measure myglucose of in a lot of things.
And after like four days, I waslike, Whoa, this is hell.
(15:33):
I don't wanna be here.
And they finally tell me, andthey finally go on, and my mom
comes and they tell me, you canfinally go to another room,
woohoo! And my wife's like, yay!So I tried to like walk to my
mom and hug her, but I couldn'tbecause my legs didn't work.
(15:58):
Because they had been like somuch time in bed that my body
didn't remember how to walk.
So we take me on a like wheelingchair to the other room, and
it's finally like full of lightsand a TV.
I was like crying because Ifinally had a TV because I
didn't have.
(16:19):
And I've inside the room therewas it was my dad, and I was
like very happy, and um my dadis just it was just there crying
because he could finally see me,and he gives me a video game,
and I was very happy, but thenthe nurses come by and tells
them, Your son has diabetes, andyou have diabetes.
(16:42):
And I was like, What?
What's that?
And then the pediatrician that Ihad only seen like three times
in my life, comes and tells me,You have diabetes, and I'm going
to give you a book aboutdiabetes.
And they give me a book and Istart reading it, and it started
like explaining everything, andI'm like, okay, okay, this must
(17:08):
be a dream because this is notnormal.
I'm in no I'm normal, so thiscan't be me.
They must have confused me withanother person.
So attended to me, no, it's you.
You have diabetes.
And I'm like, uh.
(17:29):
And then the next day they tellme the nurse teaches my mama and
my dad how to put me a weirdthingy called insulin with a
huge needle, and was like,again, nettles, no, needles, no
more needles.
And they like tried and my momfailed, and they tried it again
(17:50):
and again and again until my momfinally did it.
And the nurses go, am I alonewith my dad and my mom?
And they were like, we alsodon't understand what's
happening here, but we learnedhow to do it.
And I also was okay, I have totake a positivity inside this
(18:13):
room once more.
And they finally told me, youcan start walking.
And I was so my dad like helpedme to walk again.
And my first steps were like, ifI walk like a penguin, it was
very funny because I made likelittle steps with my with my
(18:34):
foot, my feet, like on thelooking to the other, to side to
side, and it was very funny.
But I finally learned how towalk again.
And it passed like one week.
I was there like one week, andthey finally told the
penetration comes by and tellsmy dad and my mom and everyone
there, like, you can finallylive here, you can go eat
(18:59):
whatever you want.
And I was like, Yay, finally, Iam free.
So they take me to my favoriterestaurant, and I was like, yay,
yeah, finally, that nightmare isgone.
Yeah, I finally woke up.
I'm normal again, but yeah, thenmy Gloco starts rising, and they
(19:23):
need to put me again instantly,and I was at home finally, I was
finally in my home, but it wasall different because I had to
change my diet, change all mylifestyle, like change a lot of
things.
Yeah, you had to learn with anew way.
SPEAKER_01 (19:43):
Yeah.
Wow.
What was the hardest adjustmenton learning to new the to live
this new life?
SPEAKER_02 (19:50):
I think that how to inject myself because before
that I hated needles.
It was like that kind of kidthat if she ice on a needle, I
was like, no, no, needles, noneedles.
But then they finally like startputting me like five needles a
day, and I was like, okay, but Ifinally learned how to, and it
(20:14):
was like it took me like onemonth, but I did it.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
I did it.
I'm so proud of you.
For people that don't know withdiabetes, how often do you have
to give yourself insulin throughthe needle?
SPEAKER_02 (20:30):
Um, people without diabetes, well, when they see me
like doing that, they're like, Idon't know how you can do that.
I will never be able to do it.
And I'm like, yeah.
I also thought that when Ididn't have this.
(20:50):
I also thought I was I willnever be able to touch a nittle.
But I can.
And I had to do it 24-7, but Idid it.
And they're like, no, I can'tlook at you when you're like
putting insulin in you because Ican't see nettles.
I'm not like, Do you look likewhen I was nine years old?
(21:12):
But then it's not anymore.
SPEAKER_01 (21:16):
Did you ever feel angry and frustrated that this
was your new reality?
SPEAKER_02 (21:22):
I'm like, it happens a lot of times, more than I will
want to.
Like, and start like gettingtired.
I might say, does this why do Ihave to live with this?
Because like, as I told you inmy essay, like there are a lot
of supplies here in Mexico thatfail.
(21:43):
Like they don't work.
So I have to put one and two andthree nettles inside me so they
work.
And it was in those moments Ifeel like, why like why is this
happening?
Why do why is it service?
Why Why is this happening to me?
(22:03):
But then I remember that it'snot my fault, it's just uh
casuality like I won the badlottery of life in now and
children.
SPEAKER_01 (22:16):
Cause Sansa, you did not, you did not, you didn't win
the bad lottery of life.
You know, it's okay to grievethe life you once thought you
would have, but I believe thatyou won the lottery of life.
And I understand that, you know,type 1 diabetes is not something
that you would have wanted.
But now at 13 years old, you areleading and you are advocating
(22:40):
for so many children that arejust like you and so many adults
and and people around the world.
And for anybody to have thatvoice, it was you that was
granted that voice.
And as, you know, it's okay tofeel bad because I understand,
you know, we we can grieve thosethings that we once wanted and
(23:01):
it didn't happen.
But I want you to know that likethe plan for you is so much
greater.
It's so much bigger.
And this is just a part of yourstory.
And it may not seem like that atmoments, but at moments, I hope
that the reality is that this isgonna be just a part of your
(23:22):
story, and it's the greater partthat needed to somehow happen.
And not everybody has it, butbut it was a part of your
purpose.
And I'm sorry that you feel thatway.
Like the bad lottery life is notwhere we're gonna go.
You, my friend, Costanza,beautiful young lady.
You have won the lottery oflife.
(23:43):
It may be hard, it may be tough,but but you're not alone, okay?
Just know you're not alone.
SPEAKER_02 (23:52):
Yeah, and by like the first five months that I was
like diagnosed with this, I feltlike very alone because even if
I had my mom and my dad aroundme, it wasn't the same because
they didn't have to live withit, and I felt very alone.
But then I went to my doctor'sappointment, and they and she
(24:16):
tells me, like, oh, you know,there's a cab in here, and
there's a lot of children withthe same condition with you, and
they like you will be able totalk to them.
And like, I was like, whoa,there's children with the same
thing like then me.
Like there's they there'schildren like me.
And I was like very excited, andI said, Yes, put me in that camp
(24:39):
right now.
And I decided to participate,and I was like, and you get in
the like we were in thepandemic, it wasn't like it
wasn't presential, like youcouldn't be with them in the
same room.
It was by Zoom, like by teams,like it was like virtual, but it
was like very life-changing,like to see and talk to other
(25:05):
kids that had the same thingthan me.
And it was like that reallychanged how I felt with um with
diabetes, and it it reallychanged it, and it made me very
happy.
And I learned a lot of things,but the most important thing, I
learned that I wasn't alone.
So that really changed how Ilive with it.
SPEAKER_01 (25:28):
Absolutely.
I'm so happy that that campexists.
You said that diabetes is a 24-7thing, and like you said, you
got to experience this camp andmeet other children.
That's like it.
Can you explain to us what anormal day in a life for you is
like with diabetes at 13?
SPEAKER_02 (25:46):
My day starts like I first I checked like things to
cut.
I have a I have a thing thatmeasures my blood sugar all the
time.
So if I hear an alarm tonight, Iwake up, I watch it, and if it's
slow, I eat something withcarbohydrates, and if it's high,
(26:07):
I just put a little bit ofinsulin.
That's darts at night.
But when I wake up, I check howI am.
I go downstairs with my mom andshe is like, the breakfast is
ready, so I eat my breakfast,but before that I have like
check like how many insulin Ihave to put so I can eat my
(26:30):
breakfast.
So my daily routine starts evenwhen I wake up.
And I put the insulin, I waitlike five minutes, and then I
start eating.
After that, I'm like preparingmyself, I put everything on and
I go to school.
Um like I check my glucose likeevery hour, and it goes
(26:53):
lunchtime, and it happens thesame.
I go get my food to thecafeteria, and I have to see my
food, check what it has, howmany carbohydrates, like count
them a little bit, and I put myinsulin on, I wait five minutes,
and then I can start eating.
Like sometimes if I've had badluck and I measure band insulin,
(27:18):
I have uh I'm going like veryhigh blood sugar, so I have to
need to put more insulin, or ifI put too much insulin, I need
to I go like low blood sugar, soI have to eat another thing, so
I can go into a normal level.
And that also happens when I dosports, and like in another
(27:40):
situation, even emotions canchange how many.
It can change how do you feel.
Like if you're sad, maybe youwill feel like your glucose will
go a little lower, or if you'reangry or you're very excited,
like your glucose goes morehigher.
So I also have to like controlmy emotions so they don't affect
(28:05):
my glucose.
Wow.
And I go to my yeah, so managingthat like um yeah, it's not just
not just physical, it's alsoemotional.
Because you need to control youremotions and like like relieve
them so you can continue yourday when without having more
(28:29):
highs or lows because of it.
SPEAKER_01 (28:32):
Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth.
It's not just physical, it isemotional.
It's not about just what youeat, it's how you eat it and how
you control yourself, yourmental health.
And you mentioned something thatit doesn't matter if you're
doing your sports or not.
You mentioned that you figureskate and you practice karate
and play tennis and you compete.
(28:53):
When you do those types ofactivities and sports, how does
your diabetes affect that?
SPEAKER_02 (28:59):
Um normally I as always I have to check my
glucose because before I go anddo the sport.
If I have a good level ofglucose, I just go on and play
it and like be a little pinnacleof my glucose.
If I'm too high, I need to put alittle bit of insulin, not so
(29:24):
much, because it could make mego low into low glucose.
So it could affect like how Ilike it could affect me and I
could have faint or I could havean a lot of things.
If I'm too low or I'm a littlebit too low, not so much, I eat
(29:45):
a little thing, like a littlebit of carbohydrates, so I can
like make the sport and like Icheck like every 15 minutes how
I'm going.
So I can see if I have to eat alittle thing, I have to eat
something, I do I have to put alittle bit of insulin, or if I'm
(30:05):
okay and continue on, like justdo the sport like anyone else.
SPEAKER_01 (30:11):
Yeah, I'm so proud of you.
What made you decide thatdiabetes wasn't gonna stop you
from doing the things that youwanted to do?
SPEAKER_02 (30:20):
I found out that like I had to go to therapy, of
course, so I can like go throughthese, but I also learned that
in these camps or even so likeimportant people that also have
diabetes do such uh huge thingsin life, and I found out like
(30:46):
this doesn't have to stop me,but it can even make me grow
bigger than I thought I couldbefore.
So like having had one diabetesthat made me see life in another
point of view, right?
Because it made me moreresilient and it made me see
(31:08):
things different than normalpeople, even what you eat, like
how you manage your emotions,how you do sport, and a lot more
of things because it's like mylife was in my hands all the
time.
So I learned about it and itmade me feel like maybe this
(31:29):
ability that I have gained withthis thing could make me be
something bigger.
So like my school has somethings that I started
participating on, like all ofthe child deputy of for one day
and the Olympiads, knowledgeOlympiads, and I started
(31:53):
participating on all thosethings.
And I found out like, yes, thisdoesn't affect how I am who I
am.
It did change it, but maybe in agood way.
So like it made me it did likebe more conscious of who I am
and what I want to be and what Iwant to share with other people.
(32:16):
And that's how I found out thatit doesn't have to be a limit
for me.
SPEAKER_01 (32:24):
That's so beautiful.
Wow, you celebrate your joy andyour strength through all of
this.
I think that it not only canteach so many young people, but
also adults that whateverdiagnosis or ability, disability
that you have, that it's astrength and that you still
harness it and remind yourselfof all of the other amazing
(32:44):
strengths that you have.
You've spoken publicly aboutaccess to diabetes supplies and
using your voice on how your oneday of deputy service and really
being a leader at your youngage, what made you want to speak
up?
What made you want to be aleader?
SPEAKER_02 (33:03):
Like, again, like this camps and even where my mom
likes go inside like groups ofof other mothers and parents
with child with one diabetes.
So like gone inside communities.
And me and the camps, I foundout that there were a lot of
(33:28):
children that didn't have likethe same privilege that I have,
like to have the insulin pumpthe or the continuous looker
sensor that really changes yourway to manage in that they were
even kids with not such a goodand connug situation that they
(33:50):
couldn't afford that.
So they even have to reusethings that shouldn't be
reusable or don't eat and liketo don't eat so much
carbohydrates because theinsulin was too expensive for
them.
And I found out like thisshouldn't be like this.
(34:10):
Life shouldn't be a privilegefor kids or even for adults.
It shouldn't be a privilege tobe healthy like I found out like
people should have the privilegeto live like any other to like
any other one, like it shouldn'tbe just for a little bit of
(34:34):
people.
So I started like that's anotherthing that pushed me to get
inside of all these things thathad my school to like raise my
boys.
And I found out that if not sucha lot of people is doing and
racing the boys from for type 1diabetes, well I have to do it.
(35:00):
I have to do something, and if Ican, I will do it.
And that's another thing thatpushed me out to do this.
SPEAKER_01 (35:12):
Costanza, you are amazing.
Can you be our next president,please?
Like, wow.
You said if no one's gonna raisetheir voice, I will raise my
voice, and you did just that.
You didn't just survive, youdidn't just get diagnosed, you
didn't just live with type 1diabetes, you decided to step
into philanthropy and advocatefor those that didn't have as
(35:35):
many resources as you as youhad, as you stated.
You decided to just stand up forsomething, you decided to say,
like, no, this is an issue andthis is a problem, and everyone
deserves the same fair, equalmedical access to the same
things that I have.
And I think that that is sobeautiful and is so truly
humbling and honorable for youto do that at such a young age.
(35:58):
And I just want to applaud youfor that.
And I'm so happy that yourparents got you involved in
these camps and was able to letyou know that you're not alone.
I think what you're saying istruly humbling and is truly
inspiring.
I want to wrap this up and justask you because I know there is
a young person and even someadults that are listening,
(36:21):
listening to this today, andthey probably want to know that
with everything you're doing, onthe hard days, what keeps you
going?
SPEAKER_02 (36:31):
Like in the hard days, like there's a lot of hard
days.
A lot.
Like, there's so much moments inwhich I like don't know if I
want to keep going like this, ifI really have a purpose for
going, keep going in my life.
But then my mom or my dad comesby and they tell me, like, you
(36:56):
have too much things left to doin your life.
Like, don't lose it for just areally for a small bad moment.
And even if that moment for meis like very huge, like a huge
mountain, like that I had tocome through, I remember that I
(37:20):
still have a lot of things todo, and there's a lot of things
I can do, like talking otherpeople with type 1 diabetes,
like making conscious peopleconscious about it, or even
learning more about it.
Like, and I just like rememberthis is not the moment to give
(37:43):
up.
I still have a lot of things todo.
Like, I have to keep going.
There's a lot of things that Ileft to do, and I have to do it
because I think that it's mypurpose in life, like to help
learn, make people conscious,teach about type 1 diabetes,
(38:06):
because there's not a lot ofthings about it, so someone has
to do it again.
SPEAKER_01 (38:12):
I'm so thankful that you have such beautiful parents
that are around you that arefeeding it to you.
And if you've ever for a momentdoubted that you don't have a
purpose left because of type 1diabetes, I want to reassure you
that you have inspired me today,that you are gonna, this episode
is gonna inspire so many peopleto not give up, to not let their
(38:33):
diagnosis be the last say so,and to remind themselves that
they still do have purposewithin them.
Like even on the hard days, Iwant you to know that like a
seed that is planted among darksoil that does not see the light
at that moment, as it getswatered and watered and watered,
it becomes a fruitful tree.
And that fruitful tree feeds somany people, and that fruitful
(38:56):
tree has a seed inside of that,that then gets planted inside of
another soil that grows intoanother fruitful tree.
And what you're doing, myfriend, you are literally
planting seeds inside of peopleof letting them know that type 1
diabetes is not the last say so,that at 13 years old, you can do
this, and that at 50, they cando that.
(39:17):
At 75, they can do that.
At 21, they can still go nomatter what.
So remind yourself and letyourself know that you have so
much purpose and you are doingan incredible job.
And if you ever need a big sisover here to remind you, you
make sure you call AuntieCarrie, Tia Carrie over here,
okay?
Because I am so proud of you.
And some young person or someolder person is gonna listen to
(39:41):
this and be so inspired by you.
I just want to say thank you somuch for your courage, for your
discipline, for your heart.
It's truly inspiring.
And I want to leave you with theopportunity for any ways that we
can support you or any effortsthat you're making.
(40:01):
Is there any last words that youwould like to leave our guests
with today?
SPEAKER_02 (40:05):
I think that I would like to say to everyone that is
hearing this podcast that evenwhen you feel like you're inside
a dark, dark place that there'sno way you can go through it,
there's always going to bethere's always going to be like
(40:27):
a little light, a little hopeinside of that dark place that
will make you go through it.
Like don't give up.
Even if everything in thatmoment fails like very dark,
like there's no way you can gothrough it.
Like you feel like I'm there'sno way I can go through it.
(40:50):
There's a way, there's always away.
Don't give up.
Like, and remember that thereare millions of people in the
world, and there's probably atleast one person that is going
through the same as you.
And remember, you're not alone.
You have family, you havefriends, you have people around
(41:14):
you that loves you and wants youto keep going because they want
you in your lives, and they justhave a lot of things to do.
SPEAKER_01 (41:24):
Like, don't give up.
Just don't give up.
Costanza, thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for trusting us forsharing your story today.
Thank you for yourvulnerability.
Thank you for your heart andyour care.
Thank you for showing us that itdoes not have to be perfect.
You just have to continue toshow up.
(41:46):
Everyone that's listening today,you have been listening to the
Resilience Fouse podcast withour lovely guest, Costanza.
If this episode inspired youtoday, I would love for you to
please share it with a friendand tell a friend to tell a
friend that no matter whatyou're going through in life,
continue to show up.
And if Costanza could do it, youcan do it.
(42:08):
And y'all watch out for umpresidential elections because
Costanza may be uh president ofMexico one day.
We don't know.
But all I know is she's gonna dosome amazing, fascinating
things, and she's gonna continueto change the world.
When you feel like life has dealt you a hand of
unfair cards.
Instead of voting, you doubledown.
You stuck in the game.
You face battles.
You felt broken.
But hey, do us a favor.
Put your hand on your heart.
You feel that.
You're still here.
Welcome to the Resilience FilesUnlocked, where survival meets
(00:25):
transformation.
SPEAKER_01 (00:29):
Welcome back to the Resilience Files Unlocked.
I'm your host, Carrie Vernanz.
We are so excited to share thisepisode with you today.
This space was created forhonest conversations about
survival, reinvention, healing,and the quiet strength it takes
to keep going when life doesn'tlook like what you imagined.
Today's special guest,Constanza, is a young leader
(00:52):
from Cancun, Mexico, whose lifechanged at nine years old when
she went into a diabetic episodeand she was hospitalized in
intensive care.
I'm gonna let Constanza tell herstory.
Like we do here always on theResilience Styles podcast, we
share our guest essay with you.
(01:12):
Costanza wanted to read itherself.
She is young and doing it.
Costanza, without further ado,you take us away.
SPEAKER_02 (01:21):
Yeah, thank you very much for the opportunity for
sharing such a special event ofmy life in such a special place.
Absolutely.
Thank you.
Well, um, without no furtherdelay, I will start.
I was nine years and nine monthsold when my life changed
(01:41):
forever.
In June 2022, I became verysick.
At the same time, I had COVIDand my brain became fast and
difficult.
Everyone thought it was acomplication from the virus.
What we didn't know was that mybody was shutting down in a
deeper way.
When we arrived at the emergencyroom, I was already sleeping in
(02:06):
and out of consciousness.
I remember feeling very faraway, very tired, and at one
point I remember seeing a lighton the end of a tunnel.
I don't know how long I wasthere, but I know that the
doctors acted fast.
A paediatrician recognized whatwas really happening.
I was expecting the outset oftype 1 diabetes, and I was
(02:31):
already in a diabetic ketosis.
That moment saved my life.
I spent five days in intensivecare and many more days
hospitalized, not onlyrecovering, but learning.
Learning how to survive in abody that now depended on
insulin to stay alive.
(02:51):
With type 1 diabetes, insulin isnot optional.
Without it, you cannot live.
Managing it correctly iscomplex, demanding, and
constant.
In many ways, it means holdinglife gently in your hands every
single day.
When I left the hospital, I wasalready worrying a continuous
(03:13):
glucosensor.
Later, I started using aninsulin pump.
These technologies changed mylife, but access to them has not
been easy.
We have been able to afford themtreatment and technology because
my family has a private medicalinsurance.
Without it, many of these toolswill be out of reach.
(03:35):
Even today, some supplies weneed are difficult to get in
Mexico, and sometimes we mustbuy them outside the country
because the locals' options failtoo often.
Learning to live with type 1diabetes did not happen
overnight.
I learned through experience,education, and community.
(03:58):
I have attended several diabetescamps for children with type 1,
where I learned how to countcarbohydrates, how to adjust
insulin doses, how to injectmyself, how to measure my blood
glucose, how to eat, how tolisten to my body, and how to
take responsibility for myhealth.
(04:21):
This camp stop me that I am notalone and that loneliness is
power.
I have always practiced sportsand diabetes did not stop me.
Today I practice figure skating,karate, and tennis.
I hold a brown ball in karateand participated in the Quintana
(04:41):
Row state competitions in 2026.
Even thought I didn't advance tothe next stage.
It was my first time competingat that level, and I was proud
of myself for showing up.
Beyond sports, I discovered thatmy voice matters.
In 2025, I was selected as achild deputy for a day to
(05:04):
represent Cancun.
During my speech, I spoke aboutthe importance of eliminating
BAT on diabetes supplies becauseaccess to treatment should not
be a privilege.
I also serve as an executivesecretary on the Subina at
Bissori Council in BenitoJuarez, Cancun.
(05:24):
Subina is a council dedicated toprotecting the rights of
children and adolescents.
In November, I spoke before theSubina Assembly about the need
to increase education andawareness around type 1
diabetes.
Diabetes does not define me, butit has placed me on a more
(05:45):
complex level of the game oflife.
Managing insulin is difficult.
You never fully rest.
Diabetes is there 24 hours aday, 355 days a year, and for me
and for all my family.
Nights are interrupted byalarms, warning of dangerous
(06:06):
lows or highs.
You learn to live with needles,blood tests, and constant
decisions.
If living with type 1 diabeteslooks easy from outside, I
invite you to pause for a momentand imagine that every time you
eat, you have to stop, observeyour food, calculate
(06:27):
carbohydrates, and decide howmuch insulin your body will
need.
Knowing that even when you doeverything right, your glucose
can still rise or fall withoutwarning.
Living with white type 1diabetes learns carrying that
level of attention every singlesecond.
(06:49):
Your decisions can lead tofeeling well, to fading, or
overtime to seriouscomplications.
Because this may not be yourreality, you might never fully
feel what it's like, but I hopeunderstanding this inspires more
empathy, kindness, and awarenessin the way we talk about this
(07:11):
condition.
There are days I feel tired,frustrated, or wish I didn't
have diabetes.
This is not something youchoose.
You learn to live with it.
Like a mosquito that neverleaves you alone.
You learn to absorb the ways ofglucose and listen closely to
your body.
(07:32):
Today I see my story not only asa survival, but as a
responsibility.
I want to help educate othersand raise awareness in schools
in Cancun.
I study French, speak English,playing the piano, and reach the
second stage of the NodochanOlympiad in Quintana Roe in
2025.
(07:53):
I am still discovering who Iwant to be, but I am curious
about the medicine because Iunderstand what it means to care
for life.
JRBs has taught me discipline,empathy, awareness, and courage.
I am different.
I am accept that the differenceis part of who I am.
(08:13):
My journey is not easy.
Thank you very much for yourattention.
SPEAKER_01 (08:24):
Wow, Costanza, I'm gonna cry over here.
My wow, I'm so proud of you.
And you're 13 now.
SPEAKER_02 (08:35):
Yeah, it's gonna be like four years.
SPEAKER_01 (08:40):
Wow, you are so impressive.
I am so thankful you're here.
Thank you so much for justcoming on the podcast today and
for sharing your story.
You are so young and you are soinspirational.
And I can tell that you haveloving family around you.
And I just want to say like whatyou have done at the age of just
(09:05):
13 years old is a testament toyour strength and to your
abilities and to the love andsupport around you, but also to
just let everybody know thatjust because you've received a
diagnosis, it is not the end.
It's the beginning to somethingnew.
I'm excited to dive into thisepisode, but I want to know
(09:27):
like, how do you feel now thatyou've read the essay out out
loud?
SPEAKER_02 (09:33):
Like, I feel like I'm very happy that I had the
opportunity to show such aspecial event of my life for
many, many people in the world.
Like, I hope that this will helpchildren or people with type 1
diabetes to understand that itmay be difficult to live with
(09:55):
it, but it doesn't have to be alimit for yourself.
SPEAKER_01 (10:00):
Oh, chills.
It may be difficult to live withit, but it's not a limit for
yourself.
That is so beautiful.
You were nine years old whenyour life started to change.
Do you remember that moment ofwhat happened prior to that?
SPEAKER_02 (10:16):
Well, before I went hospitalized, I started losing a
lot of weight and like very Istarted being very thirsty,
feeling very weak.
I slept a lot of hours.
But to but everything of thehospitalization happened in a
(10:40):
Father's Day, and my dad took mefrom school at the Father's
Festival.
Oh wow.
And it was like all all all thekids from my school was like,
what are they taking Constanza?
Why are they taking it so soon?
Yeah.
But and then I they took mehome, they made me a COVID test,
(11:05):
and I still very, very, verybad.
I was like laying in my bed, andI thought like, geez, what's
happening?
I was like, I'm gonna die.
I felt very bad.
Then my father like tells to mymom, I need to go to work, but
you have to take instanza to thehospital.
(11:27):
This is not normal.
And then my mom gets the resultsof the COVID test, and I was
positive.
So she takes me to the onlyhospital in Cancun that accepted
people with COVID at the thatmoment because, well, we were in
the pandemic.
It was kind of difficult to finda place.
So they take me and they take meto urgency because I it was like
(11:52):
very critical.
And they start like making me alot of things.
It put me like a lot of needlesinside me.
I was like, what the what ishappening?
And I started to faint because Istarted like to close my eyes,
and then I have a doctor next tome saying, Don't close your
eyes, don't go to the light.
And it's like, what ishappening?
(12:13):
And then I they put me like amask, and I start to sleep, like
very sleepy.
And when I wake up, I'm in alittle, little tiny room with
just a little window with abunch of nurses around me, like
managing my teens, and I'm like,what happened?
(12:35):
And then they never told me,like, it's like three days that
they told me, and my mom goes inand she tells me you're finally
awake.
And it seems that it was likethree days since sleep, and then
they start telling me like youhave something, and we need to
take out drops on you every day,and we need to put you something
(12:57):
called insulin.
And I was like, What is this?
What happened just drinkingorange juice one month ago?
They told me like you're gonnabe here like for three, four
days more, and then we will putyou in a huge room where your
father will finally come to seeyou because my mom just could go
(13:21):
by like one time a day, one oncea day.
So it was like I felt very alonebecause the nurses were like
nearby, but they almost nevertalked to me.
And the the kind nurses thatlike one even gave me his cell
phone to watch Netflix, and Iwas like very happy because I
(13:46):
was very bored because and itwas very cold the room because
they had to manage the COVIDbacteria.
I don't know why, but yeah, itwas very cold.
And it was like, but then theafter that moment, the guy of
the cell phone disappeared andshe and he never came back, and
(14:06):
I was like, what happened?
Where's that guy?
And the time passed, like it waslike the second day I was awake
in that room, and it comes thepediatrician to treat me, and he
like makes something and he putsme something in my arm, and I
was like, What's that?
(14:27):
And he tells me, it's a glucosesensor.
And she just walks outside andbe like, What's a glucose
sensor?
What's that?
Right, and finally every daycame a nurse with a huge nettle
to take me my blood from me.
Was like, why do you need totake so much blood?
(14:48):
And she always told me, like,it's for tests.
I can't do anything for you, butyou will need to just let me put
the needle in you.
So bye.
And she just went by, put thenettle inside me, take out the
blood, bye, and then put it inmy teen over there, and never
(15:09):
knew what happened with myblood.
Then they started like umputting mini nails in my
fingers, so to take up blood.
Again, a lot of blood.
So they killed like measure myglucose of in a lot of things.
And after like four days, I waslike, Whoa, this is hell.
(15:33):
I don't wanna be here.
And they finally tell me, andthey finally go on, and my mom
comes and they tell me, you canfinally go to another room,
woohoo! And my wife's like, yay!So I tried to like walk to my
mom and hug her, but I couldn'tbecause my legs didn't work.
(15:58):
Because they had been like somuch time in bed that my body
didn't remember how to walk.
So we take me on a like wheelingchair to the other room, and
it's finally like full of lightsand a TV.
I was like crying because Ifinally had a TV because I
didn't have.
(16:19):
And I've inside the room therewas it was my dad, and I was
like very happy, and um my dadis just it was just there crying
because he could finally see me,and he gives me a video game,
and I was very happy, but thenthe nurses come by and tells
them, Your son has diabetes, andyou have diabetes.
(16:42):
And I was like, What?
What's that?
And then the pediatrician that Ihad only seen like three times
in my life, comes and tells me,You have diabetes, and I'm going
to give you a book aboutdiabetes.
And they give me a book and Istart reading it, and it started
like explaining everything, andI'm like, okay, okay, this must
(17:08):
be a dream because this is notnormal.
I'm in no I'm normal, so thiscan't be me.
They must have confused me withanother person.
So attended to me, no, it's you.
You have diabetes.
And I'm like, uh.
(17:29):
And then the next day they tellme the nurse teaches my mama and
my dad how to put me a weirdthingy called insulin with a
huge needle, and was like,again, nettles, no, needles, no
more needles.
And they like tried and my momfailed, and they tried it again
(17:50):
and again and again until my momfinally did it.
And the nurses go, am I alonewith my dad and my mom?
And they were like, we alsodon't understand what's
happening here, but we learnedhow to do it.
And I also was okay, I have totake a positivity inside this
(18:13):
room once more.
And they finally told me, youcan start walking.
And I was so my dad like helpedme to walk again.
And my first steps were like, ifI walk like a penguin, it was
very funny because I made likelittle steps with my with my
(18:34):
foot, my feet, like on thelooking to the other, to side to
side, and it was very funny.
But I finally learned how towalk again.
And it passed like one week.
I was there like one week, andthey finally told the
penetration comes by and tellsmy dad and my mom and everyone
there, like, you can finallylive here, you can go eat
(18:59):
whatever you want.
And I was like, Yay, finally, Iam free.
So they take me to my favoriterestaurant, and I was like, yay,
yeah, finally, that nightmare isgone.
Yeah, I finally woke up.
I'm normal again, but yeah, thenmy Gloco starts rising, and they
(19:23):
need to put me again instantly,and I was at home finally, I was
finally in my home, but it wasall different because I had to
change my diet, change all mylifestyle, like change a lot of
things.
Yeah, you had to learn with anew way.
SPEAKER_01 (19:43):
Yeah.
Wow.
What was the hardest adjustmenton learning to new the to live
this new life?
SPEAKER_02 (19:50):
I think that how to inject myself because before
that I hated needles.
It was like that kind of kidthat if she ice on a needle, I
was like, no, no, needles, noneedles.
But then they finally like startputting me like five needles a
day, and I was like, okay, but Ifinally learned how to, and it
(20:14):
was like it took me like onemonth, but I did it.
SPEAKER_01 (20:20):
I did it.
I'm so proud of you.
For people that don't know withdiabetes, how often do you have
to give yourself insulin throughthe needle?
SPEAKER_02 (20:30):
Um, people without diabetes, well, when they see me
like doing that, they're like, Idon't know how you can do that.
I will never be able to do it.
And I'm like, yeah.
I also thought that when Ididn't have this.
(20:50):
I also thought I was I willnever be able to touch a nittle.
But I can.
And I had to do it 24-7, but Idid it.
And they're like, no, I can'tlook at you when you're like
putting insulin in you because Ican't see nettles.
I'm not like, Do you look likewhen I was nine years old?
(21:12):
But then it's not anymore.
SPEAKER_01 (21:16):
Did you ever feel angry and frustrated that this
was your new reality?
SPEAKER_02 (21:22):
I'm like, it happens a lot of times, more than I will
want to.
Like, and start like gettingtired.
I might say, does this why do Ihave to live with this?
Because like, as I told you inmy essay, like there are a lot
of supplies here in Mexico thatfail.
(21:43):
Like they don't work.
So I have to put one and two andthree nettles inside me so they
work.
And it was in those moments Ifeel like, why like why is this
happening?
Why do why is it service?
Why Why is this happening to me?
(22:03):
But then I remember that it'snot my fault, it's just uh
casuality like I won the badlottery of life in now and
children.
SPEAKER_01 (22:16):
Cause Sansa, you did not, you did not, you didn't win
the bad lottery of life.
You know, it's okay to grievethe life you once thought you
would have, but I believe thatyou won the lottery of life.
And I understand that, you know,type 1 diabetes is not something
that you would have wanted.
But now at 13 years old, you areleading and you are advocating
(22:40):
for so many children that arejust like you and so many adults
and and people around the world.
And for anybody to have thatvoice, it was you that was
granted that voice.
And as, you know, it's okay tofeel bad because I understand,
you know, we we can grieve thosethings that we once wanted and
(23:01):
it didn't happen.
But I want you to know that likethe plan for you is so much
greater.
It's so much bigger.
And this is just a part of yourstory.
And it may not seem like that atmoments, but at moments, I hope
that the reality is that this isgonna be just a part of your
(23:22):
story, and it's the greater partthat needed to somehow happen.
And not everybody has it, butbut it was a part of your
purpose.
And I'm sorry that you feel thatway.
Like the bad lottery life is notwhere we're gonna go.
You, my friend, Costanza,beautiful young lady.
You have won the lottery oflife.
(23:43):
It may be hard, it may be tough,but but you're not alone, okay?
Just know you're not alone.
SPEAKER_02 (23:52):
Yeah, and by like the first five months that I was
like diagnosed with this, I feltlike very alone because even if
I had my mom and my dad aroundme, it wasn't the same because
they didn't have to live withit, and I felt very alone.
But then I went to my doctor'sappointment, and they and she
(24:16):
tells me, like, oh, you know,there's a cab in here, and
there's a lot of children withthe same condition with you, and
they like you will be able totalk to them.
And like, I was like, whoa,there's children with the same
thing like then me.
Like there's they there'schildren like me.
And I was like very excited, andI said, Yes, put me in that camp
(24:39):
right now.
And I decided to participate,and I was like, and you get in
the like we were in thepandemic, it wasn't like it
wasn't presential, like youcouldn't be with them in the
same room.
It was by Zoom, like by teams,like it was like virtual, but it
was like very life-changing,like to see and talk to other
(25:05):
kids that had the same thingthan me.
And it was like that reallychanged how I felt with um with
diabetes, and it it reallychanged it, and it made me very
happy.
And I learned a lot of things,but the most important thing, I
learned that I wasn't alone.
So that really changed how Ilive with it.
SPEAKER_01 (25:28):
Absolutely.
I'm so happy that that campexists.
You said that diabetes is a 24-7thing, and like you said, you
got to experience this camp andmeet other children.
That's like it.
Can you explain to us what anormal day in a life for you is
like with diabetes at 13?
SPEAKER_02 (25:46):
My day starts like I first I checked like things to
cut.
I have a I have a thing thatmeasures my blood sugar all the
time.
So if I hear an alarm tonight, Iwake up, I watch it, and if it's
slow, I eat something withcarbohydrates, and if it's high,
(26:07):
I just put a little bit ofinsulin.
That's darts at night.
But when I wake up, I check howI am.
I go downstairs with my mom andshe is like, the breakfast is
ready, so I eat my breakfast,but before that I have like
check like how many insulin Ihave to put so I can eat my
(26:30):
breakfast.
So my daily routine starts evenwhen I wake up.
And I put the insulin, I waitlike five minutes, and then I
start eating.
After that, I'm like preparingmyself, I put everything on and
I go to school.
Um like I check my glucose likeevery hour, and it goes
(26:53):
lunchtime, and it happens thesame.
I go get my food to thecafeteria, and I have to see my
food, check what it has, howmany carbohydrates, like count
them a little bit, and I put myinsulin on, I wait five minutes,
and then I can start eating.
Like sometimes if I've had badluck and I measure band insulin,
(27:18):
I have uh I'm going like veryhigh blood sugar, so I have to
need to put more insulin, or ifI put too much insulin, I need
to I go like low blood sugar, soI have to eat another thing, so
I can go into a normal level.
And that also happens when I dosports, and like in another
(27:40):
situation, even emotions canchange how many.
It can change how do you feel.
Like if you're sad, maybe youwill feel like your glucose will
go a little lower, or if you'reangry or you're very excited,
like your glucose goes morehigher.
So I also have to like controlmy emotions so they don't affect
(28:05):
my glucose.
Wow.
And I go to my yeah, so managingthat like um yeah, it's not just
not just physical, it's alsoemotional.
Because you need to control youremotions and like like relieve
them so you can continue yourday when without having more
(28:29):
highs or lows because of it.
SPEAKER_01 (28:32):
Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth.
It's not just physical, it isemotional.
It's not about just what youeat, it's how you eat it and how
you control yourself, yourmental health.
And you mentioned something thatit doesn't matter if you're
doing your sports or not.
You mentioned that you figureskate and you practice karate
and play tennis and you compete.
(28:53):
When you do those types ofactivities and sports, how does
your diabetes affect that?
SPEAKER_02 (28:59):
Um normally I as always I have to check my
glucose because before I go anddo the sport.
If I have a good level ofglucose, I just go on and play
it and like be a little pinnacleof my glucose.
If I'm too high, I need to put alittle bit of insulin, not so
(29:24):
much, because it could make mego low into low glucose.
So it could affect like how Ilike it could affect me and I
could have faint or I could havean a lot of things.
If I'm too low or I'm a littlebit too low, not so much, I eat
(29:45):
a little thing, like a littlebit of carbohydrates, so I can
like make the sport and like Icheck like every 15 minutes how
I'm going.
So I can see if I have to eat alittle thing, I have to eat
something, I do I have to put alittle bit of insulin, or if I'm
(30:05):
okay and continue on, like justdo the sport like anyone else.
SPEAKER_01 (30:11):
Yeah, I'm so proud of you.
What made you decide thatdiabetes wasn't gonna stop you
from doing the things that youwanted to do?
SPEAKER_02 (30:20):
I found out that like I had to go to therapy, of
course, so I can like go throughthese, but I also learned that
in these camps or even so likeimportant people that also have
diabetes do such uh huge thingsin life, and I found out like
(30:46):
this doesn't have to stop me,but it can even make me grow
bigger than I thought I couldbefore.
So like having had one diabetesthat made me see life in another
point of view, right?
Because it made me moreresilient and it made me see
(31:08):
things different than normalpeople, even what you eat, like
how you manage your emotions,how you do sport, and a lot more
of things because it's like mylife was in my hands all the
time.
So I learned about it and itmade me feel like maybe this
(31:29):
ability that I have gained withthis thing could make me be
something bigger.
So like my school has somethings that I started
participating on, like all ofthe child deputy of for one day
and the Olympiads, knowledgeOlympiads, and I started
(31:53):
participating on all thosethings.
And I found out like, yes, thisdoesn't affect how I am who I
am.
It did change it, but maybe in agood way.
So like it made me it did likebe more conscious of who I am
and what I want to be and what Iwant to share with other people.
(32:16):
And that's how I found out thatit doesn't have to be a limit
for me.
SPEAKER_01 (32:24):
That's so beautiful.
Wow, you celebrate your joy andyour strength through all of
this.
I think that it not only canteach so many young people, but
also adults that whateverdiagnosis or ability, disability
that you have, that it's astrength and that you still
harness it and remind yourselfof all of the other amazing
(32:44):
strengths that you have.
You've spoken publicly aboutaccess to diabetes supplies and
using your voice on how your oneday of deputy service and really
being a leader at your youngage, what made you want to speak
up?
What made you want to be aleader?
SPEAKER_02 (33:03):
Like, again, like this camps and even where my mom
likes go inside like groups ofof other mothers and parents
with child with one diabetes.
So like gone inside communities.
And me and the camps, I foundout that there were a lot of
(33:28):
children that didn't have likethe same privilege that I have,
like to have the insulin pumpthe or the continuous looker
sensor that really changes yourway to manage in that they were
even kids with not such a goodand connug situation that they
(33:50):
couldn't afford that.
So they even have to reusethings that shouldn't be
reusable or don't eat and liketo don't eat so much
carbohydrates because theinsulin was too expensive for
them.
And I found out like thisshouldn't be like this.
(34:10):
Life shouldn't be a privilegefor kids or even for adults.
It shouldn't be a privilege tobe healthy like I found out like
people should have the privilegeto live like any other to like
any other one, like it shouldn'tbe just for a little bit of
(34:34):
people.
So I started like that's anotherthing that pushed me to get
inside of all these things thathad my school to like raise my
boys.
And I found out that if not sucha lot of people is doing and
racing the boys from for type 1diabetes, well I have to do it.
(35:00):
I have to do something, and if Ican, I will do it.
And that's another thing thatpushed me out to do this.
SPEAKER_01 (35:12):
Costanza, you are amazing.
Can you be our next president,please?
Like, wow.
You said if no one's gonna raisetheir voice, I will raise my
voice, and you did just that.
You didn't just survive, youdidn't just get diagnosed, you
didn't just live with type 1diabetes, you decided to step
into philanthropy and advocatefor those that didn't have as
(35:35):
many resources as you as youhad, as you stated.
You decided to just stand up forsomething, you decided to say,
like, no, this is an issue andthis is a problem, and everyone
deserves the same fair, equalmedical access to the same
things that I have.
And I think that that is sobeautiful and is so truly
humbling and honorable for youto do that at such a young age.
(35:58):
And I just want to applaud youfor that.
And I'm so happy that yourparents got you involved in
these camps and was able to letyou know that you're not alone.
I think what you're saying istruly humbling and is truly
inspiring.
I want to wrap this up and justask you because I know there is
a young person and even someadults that are listening,
(36:21):
listening to this today, andthey probably want to know that
with everything you're doing, onthe hard days, what keeps you
going?
SPEAKER_02 (36:31):
Like in the hard days, like there's a lot of hard
days.
A lot.
Like, there's so much moments inwhich I like don't know if I
want to keep going like this, ifI really have a purpose for
going, keep going in my life.
But then my mom or my dad comesby and they tell me, like, you
(36:56):
have too much things left to doin your life.
Like, don't lose it for just areally for a small bad moment.
And even if that moment for meis like very huge, like a huge
mountain, like that I had tocome through, I remember that I
(37:20):
still have a lot of things todo, and there's a lot of things
I can do, like talking otherpeople with type 1 diabetes,
like making conscious peopleconscious about it, or even
learning more about it.
Like, and I just like rememberthis is not the moment to give
(37:43):
up.
I still have a lot of things todo.
Like, I have to keep going.
There's a lot of things that Ileft to do, and I have to do it
because I think that it's mypurpose in life, like to help
learn, make people conscious,teach about type 1 diabetes,
(38:06):
because there's not a lot ofthings about it, so someone has
to do it again.
SPEAKER_01 (38:12):
I'm so thankful that you have such beautiful parents
that are around you that arefeeding it to you.
And if you've ever for a momentdoubted that you don't have a
purpose left because of type 1diabetes, I want to reassure you
that you have inspired me today,that you are gonna, this episode
is gonna inspire so many peopleto not give up, to not let their
(38:33):
diagnosis be the last say so,and to remind themselves that
they still do have purposewithin them.
Like even on the hard days, Iwant you to know that like a
seed that is planted among darksoil that does not see the light
at that moment, as it getswatered and watered and watered,
it becomes a fruitful tree.
And that fruitful tree feeds somany people, and that fruitful
(38:56):
tree has a seed inside of that,that then gets planted inside of
another soil that grows intoanother fruitful tree.
And what you're doing, myfriend, you are literally
planting seeds inside of peopleof letting them know that type 1
diabetes is not the last say so,that at 13 years old, you can do
this, and that at 50, they cando that.
(39:17):
At 75, they can do that.
At 21, they can still go nomatter what.
So remind yourself and letyourself know that you have so
much purpose and you are doingan incredible job.
And if you ever need a big sisover here to remind you, you
make sure you call AuntieCarrie, Tia Carrie over here,
okay?
Because I am so proud of you.
And some young person or someolder person is gonna listen to
(39:41):
this and be so inspired by you.
I just want to say thank you somuch for your courage, for your
discipline, for your heart.
It's truly inspiring.
And I want to leave you with theopportunity for any ways that we
can support you or any effortsthat you're making.
(40:01):
Is there any last words that youwould like to leave our guests
with today?
SPEAKER_02 (40:05):
I think that I would like to say to everyone that is
hearing this podcast that evenwhen you feel like you're inside
a dark, dark place that there'sno way you can go through it,
there's always going to bethere's always going to be like
(40:27):
a little light, a little hopeinside of that dark place that
will make you go through it.
Like don't give up.
Even if everything in thatmoment fails like very dark,
like there's no way you can gothrough it.
Like you feel like I'm there'sno way I can go through it.
(40:50):
There's a way, there's always away.
Don't give up.
Like, and remember that thereare millions of people in the
world, and there's probably atleast one person that is going
through the same as you.
And remember, you're not alone.
You have family, you havefriends, you have people around
(41:14):
you that loves you and wants youto keep going because they want
you in your lives, and they justhave a lot of things to do.
SPEAKER_01 (41:24):
Like, don't give up.
Just don't give up.
Costanza, thank you so much.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for trusting us forsharing your story today.
Thank you for yourvulnerability.
Thank you for your heart andyour care.
Thank you for showing us that itdoes not have to be perfect.
You just have to continue toshow up.
(41:46):
Everyone that's listening today,you have been listening to the
Resilience Fouse podcast withour lovely guest, Costanza.
If this episode inspired youtoday, I would love for you to
please share it with a friendand tell a friend to tell a
friend that no matter whatyou're going through in life,
continue to show up.
And if Costanza could do it, youcan do it.
(42:08):
And y'all watch out for umpresidential elections because
Costanza may be uh president ofMexico one day.
We don't know.
But all I know is she's gonna dosome amazing, fascinating
things, and she's gonna continueto change the world.
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