"When I Walk"

 "When I Walk" by Jason DaSilva is a film I first saw last summer at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with Abe. It premiered at the 2013 Sundance film festival and later that year had its theatrical release. It now will be aired on PBS tomorrow, Monday, June 23rd.

 

Jason DaSilva is a film maker and after being diagnosed with primary-progressive MS, he decided to document his journey.  Jason was 25 years old when he received his diagnosis and like all of us MSers had our lives turned upside down.  Jason has a lot of challenges and his condition gets worse as he goes from walking, to needing a cane, a wheelchair and now a scooter.  Along the way, Jason meets Alice and they fall in love and get married in 2010. They now have a son, Jase. Alice becomes Jason's caretaker as well, and at times that is difficult. Not only does she help him with everyday tasks, but she also helps him with this film. (And now being a mother and Jason's caretaker.. I don't know how she does it! Kudos to Alice!!) Check out the website at http://wheniwalk.com.

 

During Jason's filmmaking, he came up with a great idea for an app called AXS Map (pronounced access map) where everyday people can post places from restaurants to stores that are truly handicap accessible. Getting around on public transportation is extremely difficult if you are not able to walk, which you will truly understand once you see this film. Often when people with walking aids like a wheelchair finally get to their destination they find there are few steps, and therefore not handicap accessible. How frustrating after a maybe 2-3 hour commute that would take a mobile person 30 minutes!! AXS Map will help those who still want to go out find places that they are accessible. Find out more about this incredible project at http://wheniwalk.com/axs-map.

 

In the last Momentum MS Magazine, Jason DaSilva was featured. Read his story here and more about the film. http://www.momentummagazineonline.com/reel-life-ms/

 

The film premiers on television tomorrow, Monday, June 23rd.

Locally, it airs at 10pm, but here is the link to find out exactly what time it will be aired in your area. http://www.pbs.org/pov/wheniwalk/

 

This is a powerful film and I urge you to watch. Share with your friends and family so they can watch too and learn more about what it really means to have MS. Jason has spread MS Awareness and continues to do so. He has really become an activist for all of us MSers and I could not be prouder!

 

Now let the rest of us help spread MS Awareness too!