High School Student & Volunteer Raises More Than $40,000 for Hubbard House

As a longtime supporter of and volunteer at Hubbard House, Nirja Shah set out on a mission to raise money for one of Orlando Health’s hospitality homes by climbing Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. For several months, Nirja trained for the trek and raised more than $40,000 for Hubbard House.

During her rigorous training and preparation for the more than 19,000-foot climb, Nirja unfortunately suffered a knee injury that made it unsafe for her to participate in the climb. Fortunately for her, her brother Nihar had been training to be her partner on the climb and continued on the trek in her place.

“After I injured my knee, Nihar promised he would make every effort to summit in honor of Hubbard House,” Nirja shared. “I’m so thankful to have such a strong and spirited brother!”

Nirja and Nihar’s dedication not only to the climb, but to raising money for Hubbard House, which provides a home away from home for families of patients receiving long-term care at one of our facilities, shined through from beginning to end.