Let's Go West: DGW Review No. 2

By Ben Calvo
M&M TIPster

Darius Goes West was one of the most amazing documentaries I have seen in my lifetime.  I am not unaware of the seriousness of the disease that Darius has because one of my friend's older sister has it.

Meredeth is like an older sister to all of us and we don't really pay attention to the fact that she's in a wheelchair. I think this is due to the fact that she is a lot like Darius. She doesn't let the fact that she is in a wheelchair bother her, she lives her life. However, I don't think that my friends or I ever realized how hard it can sometimes be for her.

After watching this film, I want to help make Meredeth's (and future children with this disease) life easier. Not out of pity, but because she deserves the same life experience that the rest of us have. Meredeth is heavily involved with the Muscular Dystrophy cure movement, and I am definitely going to ask her how I can get involved once I get back home.

I also want to donate money. My relatives always give a lot of money for holidays and other occasions. I usually spend half and save half, but after seeing Darius Goes West, I want to give money to this cause and know that I am helping to make a change.

Another thing that I remembered as I watching the movie is how Chapel Hill is very wheel chair accessible, however, one of the most important places, Raleigh-Durham Airport, has barely any ramps. Airports need to be accessible for disabled people, otherwise it's impossible to get anywhere. When my plane lands on July 3 in Raleigh, I am going to complain.

School buses are another problem. Most of the public schools in my area have ramps and its easy for handicapped people to get around. However, the school buses don't have a space for for wheelchairs. Kids and teens with muscular dystrophy have to be driven to school and that can sometimes cause an inconvenience for parents in terms of work and gas money. Public transportation should be able to be used by all of our citizens.

Seeing this documentary has changed my whole perspective on this disease and how we have to change some things to make lives easier for people who have to live with it. I think we all need to realize what we can do for this cause, lives are at stake, but we can all play a part in changing that.