HOW YOU CAN HELP

House of Charity: Sisters Building a Better Future

The Duggal sisters prove that it’s never too early to give back.

By Nicole Paskowsky

The iconic song lyrics say, “The children are our future.” This story is about three sisters who embody that message and are leading the way. At the ages of 9 and 6, Raveena and Diya Duggal took the initiative to dive into the rewarding world of charity work. Their younger sister Amisha joined in when she was just 5.

“Our first project was a charity garage and bake sale, where we sold cupcakes and our own handmade all-natural bath bombs, lip balm, specialty soaps, and scrunchies,” the Duggal girls say. “We were inspired by our parents, who we saw donating money, clothing, and food to various charities.”

Now 15, 12 and 8, the young women continue to raise funds and donate their time to numerous organizations, including Women’s Interval Home, the Cancer Society, Plan International, and United Way. In July, the girls recently donated over $1,000 of toys and books to the Nemours Children’s Hospital near where they live in Lake Nona, Florida.

“We have driven by Nemours so many times, and one day we asked our dad about the hospital,” the girls say. “He told us about the kids there and how they are sick and away from their families. We felt bad for them and decided to do something to cheer them up!”

Raveena, Diya, and Amisha personally hand-picked every toy, focusing on fun and function. They included STEAM toys from Brown Toy Box and the Lulla doll, which imitates breathing and heartbeat sounds to help children in the hospital sleep better and feel less alone. Many of the toys came from the happiest place on Earth: “We love Disney and have played with some of these toys in the past, so we know they are lots of fun.”

The sisters also donated copies of an award-winning book they wrote together called “Three Bunny Sisters.” It mirrors their story—three bunnies host a bake sale so they can buy carrots for bunnies in need—and teaches about the importance of volunteering and teamwork. The girls hope to ignite the giving spirit in others, especially advising kids who want to get more involved. “You can always try selling food like cupcakes, your own toys, or make and sell crafts,” they say. “It’s also important to get a lot of help from your friends because teamwork makes your charity work easier and more fun.”

So, what project would the sisters like to work on next? They would love to do a charity event with one of their favorite places and companies, Walt Disney World. “We think Disney World is perfect because so many families go there. We hope that all the kids will be encouraged to do their own charity events if they see kids like us doing one. We always say that you can make a difference in the world at any age.”

Since day one, our goal at Nemours Children’s Health has been to reduce the spread and return of cancer with breakthrough treatments. But we also create programs that go well beyond medicine to help children recover and stay healthy. One of our programs focuses on adult care transition. Another helps prepare kids for college. We even have a program that ensures kids don’t miss out on milestone life events like the school prom. And our research in children’s cancer care is opening doors to even more advancements. Advancements that will help children recover in ways ordinary medicine simply can’t.

Well Beyond Medicine

Go well beyond at Nemours.org/Beyond