2022 Travel Team Feature: Bill Holman
Operation Walk Pittsburgh’s Mission 2022 is only four weeks away. 74 travel team members will be headed to our partner hospital in Antigua, Guatemala, and serve as surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, and many other roles during the week. These team members will arrive soon after the advance team, who will travel earlier to prepare the hospital as well as meet patients and their families. We are looking forward to being together again and especially to welcoming first-time travel team members.
The next team member that we will be welcoming in this blog series is Bill Holman, our videographer. Bill, a proud first-generation Hungarian-American, was born and raised in Pittsburgh and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. His interests include rock climbing, yoga, paddle boarding, and participating in good causes. He is currently pursuing a career in film, with his abilities spanning a wide range of areas. From camera work and lighting to drone work and producing, he enjoys all aspects of film, especially when it is for helping others. With this job, he hopes to make a decent living and a difference in the world. The wide variety of locations and types of work he engages in can be mentally taxing; nevertheless, he finds it exhilarating and rewarding. From the unusual and behind-the-scenes locations he’s gotten to see in his own city, to traveling around the country, to visiting rural Nepal, the film world has burdened him with a lot of 12-hour days but blessed him with a lot of adventure.
“I'm expecting to cry a lot on this trip. Honestly - acts of human beauty really get the waterworks going for me, and the Operation Walk Pittsburgh mission has such an ability to make an immediate and visceral difference for people that are really struggling.”
Bill Holman
For the upcoming mission trip, Bill is looking forward to learning more about the medical aspects of the week as he captures both special moments between patients and team members as well as a patient’s journey from the evaluation clinic, through surgery, until their discharge from the hospital with restored mobility. In his role as a videographer, he is eager to tighten up his storytelling by capturing the spirit of these heartfelt tales in a concise way. Additionally, he is thrilled to see the landscapes and people of Antigua.
Bill has expressed his enthusiasm to use some of the new equipment that he has gotten specifically for this trip, in particular a drone that is pro-grade but small enough to be perfect for travel like this. He is especially excited to be able to offer his talents and passion to such a great cause and help make such life-changing surgeries possible. However, he is a bit nervous about his rusty Spanish skills as it has been a few years since he visited Nicaragua or any other Spanish-speaking country. He believes that the language barrier will act as a challenge for him when conducting interviews and editing videos after the trip, but one that he is eager to tackle and embrace.
“I know it will be a great mission, and I’m looking forward to doing my part as best as I can.”
Every travel team member agrees to meet a fundraising goal in order to help Operation Walk Pittsburgh cover the cost of critically needed supplies and equipment for the mission, and Bill kindly asks you to donate to Operation Walk Pittsburgh in his name in order to help him reach his fundraising goal. Your donations, will directly change the lives of patients in need during the mission to Antigua.
Our incredible team does the hard work during the mission week, but it takes financial support from community members like you to supply them with the surgical supplies and equipment they need to give the gift of mobility to our patients. Will you help Bill reach his fundraising goal and end debilitating bone and joint pain for someone in need? Please click below to donate, and be sure to write Bill’s name in the field, asking if your donation is made in support of a team member’s fundraising goal.