Texarkana woman raises thousands for NICU through climbing expeditions

TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) – A Texarkana woman has turned her passion into purpose by raising thousands of dollars for newborn babies.

43-year-old Holland Gerald has raised over $20,000 in six years to support neonatal intensive care units (NICU) through climbing and hiking expeditions. One of these expeditions saw her reach the summit of Aconcagua, the world’s highest non-Asian mountain.

“It was a bucket list dream that came to fruition,” Holland said. “But it was also very intentional pain, both mentally and physically, for a cause I care deeply about.”

Holland completed a 50-mile expedition through the Andes Mountains in Argentina, which has rigorous physical requirements for climbers. The journey took 20 days, with 12-13 days of hiking.

“There are no helicopters to rescue you up there,” she said. “Being able to get yourself back down is a requirement to climb.”

According to the release, Holland also helped raise funds using “community donations and awareness efforts.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Holland Gerald for her dedication and generosity,” said Lesli Banister, NICU clinical director at CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital. “Her efforts to raise funds for our NICU mean so much to our team and the families we serve. Support like this helps us continue providing the highest level of care to our tiniest patients.”

Holland’s awareness efforts, driven by her passion for climbing, have made a significant impact on hundreds of newborns throughout the region.

“I knew the impact would be great, and being able to help provide comfort for families gave such a deeper purpose for me to continue raising funds in the future,” said Holland.