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Press Room - 2008
Danish Humanitarian Receives Vision-Saving Surgery in Hawaii
October 22, 2008
Five years ago, Danish artist and musician Aisha (Inger Birgitte) Holm was attacked in her apartment while working in Indonesia. The incident left her blind in one eye and unable to read music or paint. Today, thanks to the assistance of the Retina Institute of Hawaii and many others, Holm has received vision-saving surgery, and her prognosis for recovery is good. As a special thanks to the Hawaii community and a celebration of her restored vision, Holm will perform a free concert on Sunday, November 2, 2008, at 3 p.m. at Calvary by the Sea.
Holm arrived in Hawaii in early September, and on the 24th of that month, she received her first donated surgery from the Retina Institute of Hawaii. Immediately following her surgery, she noticed a dramatic increase in vision. Ten days later, she had an additional operation to further improve her sight in both eyes.
“Restoring Aisha’s vision was a joint effort by many in our community who possess the spirit of aloha, said Dr. Michael Bennett, president of Retina Institute of Hawaii. Holm’s trip was made possible through the efforts of Reynold Feldman, who raised funds to cover travel expenses; Worldster Lee, M.D., who donated the surgery center and team; and Jorge Camara, M.D., who performed all pre- and post-operative medical ophthalmology, visual calculations and exams.
“It has been a truly incredible experience to receive such generosity from people I didn’t know,” said Holm. “Strangers have literally opened their doors to me and the spirit of aloha has been inspiring. I am looking forward to giving back to a community that has given so much to me.” A conservatory-trained musician, Holm has traveled the world, teaching children about music and art. During her travels, she composed music for stage productions; played with various bands; and composed, sang and recorded her own music. A frequent traveler, she speaks five languages, including Danish, English, German, French and Spanish.
Holm’s Mahalo Concert will take place in the sanctuary at Calvary by the Sea and is open to the public. Retina Institute of Hawaii’s non-profit Project Vision mobile unit will also be on site throughout the event, conducting free retina screenings to detect early signs of disease and vision loss. For more information on this free event, call Retina Institute of Hawaii at 955-0255.
