Justin Skeesuck and Patrick Gray’s award-winning film I’ll Push You is available for a virtual nationwide screening now through January 30 as part of a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)’s fundraising effort to send disabled kids to summer camp.

Tickets and donations will go towards sending 500 kids ages 8-17 living with neuromuscular diseases to MDA Summer Camp. To purchase tickets and to donate, visit Muscular Dystrophy Association.

I’ll Push You is the story of Justin and Patrick, best friends who completed a 500-mile wheelchair journey across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago. Justin lives with a progressive neuromuscular disease known as multifocal acquired motor axonopathy. When he was first diagnosed, Justin received care from the San Diego MDA Care Center, part of a network of over 150 multidisciplinary clinics across the country. Since then, MDA has been a source of support.

Both Justin and Patrick understand the importance of adventure, independence, and community. They want every child living with neuromuscular disease to have experiences that open their eyes to the wonder of nature, give them a sense of purpose and identity, and connect them with others who understand the challenges of living with disabilities.

In-Person Camp in 2022

Justin and Patrick’s passion for others to overcome the challenges they face is why they are excited to partner with the MDA. Funds raised will help send kids to MDA Summer Camp, a place where children living with neuromuscular disease learn to push their limits, ask for and receive help, and feel empowered to advocate for themselves and is provided at no cost to families as part of MDA’s mission.

Registration for the 2022 MDA Summer Camp sessions opens in February and includes both in-person and virtual options. The in-person summer camp program is building back up after 2 years of virtual programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the high-risk community MDA serves. The 2022 program will include in-person summer camp locations across the country and several virtual sessions.

“Challenges can be hard to overcome, which is why it’s so important to let others support us and ‘push us’ beyond the limitations we set for ourselves. We’re glad we were able to offer a virtual camp option during the pandemic to keep families connected, and we’re looking forward to building back our in-person camp program so children in our community can have that experience again.”

— Alicia Dobosz, Senior Director of Recreation and Community Programs at MDA

“Some of the children supported by the MDA have never had the opportunity to go to camp. Others have missed out on the in-person experience the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, if it’s their first time going to camp or they’re going back again, every kid deserves this opportunity.”

— Justin Skeesuck

“Our goal is to send 500 kids to camp. For a lot of campers, MDA camp is an experience of a lifetime. We hope many will join us in the effort to make so many dreams come true.”

— Patrick Gray

[Source(s): Muscular Dystrophy Association, PR Newswire]