8:41 a.m., Feb. 27, 2009----“Darius Goes West,” the most decorated film of 2007, will be shown on Monday, March 16, at the University of Delaware's Roselle Center for the Arts.

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The film, which has won awards at 27 film festivals, features Darius Weems, a 15-year-old with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and his best friends as they traveled across the country in the summer of 2005. Their ultimate goal was to get Darius's wheelchair customized on MTV's “Pimp My Ride.”

Darius, now 18, and his crew of 11 friends are back on the road, this time to sell one million DVDs of their acclaimed film. Their appearance at the University has been arranged by the Center for Disabilities Studies and the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy.

“Darius Goes West” entertains as well as educates the public about DMD by telling a story through the lens of friendship. It is a vivid portrayal of adventure, brotherhood and the character and strength it takes to face an uncertain future.

“Darius Goes West” focuses on ability, not disability. Darius is no DMD poster child. He's a typical teenager who wakes up grouchy and curses on occasion. But audiences love his sense of humor and his megawatt smile. And instead of feeling sorry for Darius because he is terminally ill with the world's number one fatal genetic disease for children, viewers share his excitement as he discovers America.

Although Darius knows that Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy won't be cured in his lifetime, he is now on the road to raise awareness of his disease in hopes of benefiting those with DMD who follow in his footsteps-and to prove that life has no limits, even for those in a wheelchair.

He and his friends are determined to sell one million DVDs in one year, before Darius's nineteenth birthday on Sept. 27, the age at which his older brother, Mario, died from DMD.

Every DVD sold raises $17 to enhance the effort to treat or cure Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the near future. To date, “Darius Goes West” has raised $1.5 million for DMD research.

The March 16 screening of “Darius Goes West” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Gore Recital Hall of the Roselle Center for the Arts on Orchard Road between Winslow Road and Kent Way in Newark. Doors will open at 7 p.m. and admission is on a first come, first served basis, with seating available for 200.

There is no charge, but donations are welcome to support DMD research. Darius and his friends will be available after the movie to answer questions. They also will sell DVDs, t-shirts and bumper stickers, with proceeds benefiting DMD research.

The visit is hosted by the University of Delaware Center for Disabilities Studies, with the support of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy, and in partnership with the Inter-Fraternity Council, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, and Best Buddies Delaware.

For more information about the screening, call (302) 831-8535. Additional information about “Darius Goes West” and the crew's efforts to raise funds for DMD research is available at Darius's Web site.

The mission of the Center for Disabilities Studies is to enhance the lives of individuals and families in Delaware through education, prevention, service, and research related to disabilities. The center promotes independence and productivity so individuals and families can fully participate in the life of the community. For information, call (302) 831-6974 or (302) 831-4689 (TDD), or visit the Center for Disabilities Studies Web site.

Article by Michele Sands