DMV Doers: Scout helping bring smiles to cancer patients in VHC Health in DMV

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Alia Abbud is a 16-year-old who is working to earn her Eagle Scout designation with Scouting of America.

She said scouting has taught her about the importance of taking an active role in helping others.

“One of the main reasons why I joined scouting was because of the leadership that it provides,” Abbud said. “I’ve been doing scouting for about three to four years, and I think it has helped me grow into a leader.”

She chose a special project to help reach her scouting goal. She decided to help renovate the wig room at the Reva and Sid Dewberry Cancer Resource Center at VHC Health.

Abbud felt the need for change so it could be a positive experience for those who were going through a challenging time.

“When I saw the wig room, it was more of a storage space,” Abbud said. “I wanted to turn it into a place for chemotherapy patients and allow them to feel comfortable in the environment and really feel loved.”

Abbud is interested in pursuing a healthcare career, and she plans on staying committed to helping others in the wig room and beyond.