We call ourselves the Wheelchair Mafia.

At first, the name may sound silly or light hearted. But for us, it carries deep meaning. It represents a bond that goes far beyond friendship. We are forever woven into each other’s lives as chosen family, connected by shared experiences, trust, and a level of understanding that only comes from growing up together.

Many of us even share a tattoo that symbolizes this connection. It represents the love, interdependence, and lifelong commitment between former campers and counselors. It also honors members of our camp family who have passed away, from as far back as the 2000s to as recently as February 2026. Their presence continues to live on through our stories, our traditions, and the relationships they helped shape.

For many of us, the Muscular Dystrophy Association MDA Camp Los Angeles was not just a week away. It was the best week of the entire year.

For kids and teens living with muscular dystrophy, camp was the one place where nothing else mattered. There were no labels and no limitations. It was a place of friendship, independence, laughter, and belonging. Campers and counselors became family, and those bonds did not end when camp did. They shaped who we are and stayed with us long after we went home.

MDA Camp officially ends at age 18. Many of us last attended MDA Camp Los Angeles in 2009, when we were 18 years old. That means it has been well over a decade since this group has all been together in the same place.

Since aging out of camp, opportunities for adults with muscular dystrophy to connect and socialize have become increasingly limited. Due to budget cuts and broader economic challenges, the Muscular Dystrophy Association now offers very few programs focused on adult community and connection. We were given an incredible, life changing experience, and once it ended, it became our responsibility to keep those relationships alive. To keep showing up for one another. To support, check in, and stay connected as we navigate adulthood with a progressive disability.

Over the years, we have also experienced loss. We have lost friends who laughed with us, grew up with us, and helped shape some of our most meaningful memories. Honoring and remembering them is an important part of why this reunion matters so deeply. As we continue to age, and as some of us approach or surpass life expectancy, time together becomes even more precious. These moments are not something we can assume we will always have.

Now, we are bringing that magic back.

This fundraiser supports a weekend reunion in Los Angeles from June 19 through June 21 for former MDA Camp Los Angeles campers and counselors. This gathering is about reconnecting old friends, celebrating lifelong relationships, honoring those we have lost, and creating space for meaningful moments together.

This fundraiser is open to friends, family, past campers and counselors, businesses, and anyone who understands the power of friendship and the importance of community. Every contribution helps create a weekend where people who shared a once in a lifetime experience can reunite, reconnect, and simply be together again.

Funds raised will help cover lodging, accessibility needs, transportation support, and shared experiences throughout the weekend. We are also seeking corporate sponsors and hotel partners to help make this reunion possible.

Thank you for supporting a gathering built on friendship, resilience, community, and memories that continue to matter.