YL Hearts (Yameitz Libechu) is a Brooklyn-based organization that supports children and adults with congenital heart disease and their families. It focuses on both medical and practical needs throughout the patient’s journey, offering structured services in advocacy, medical networking, family support, crisis intervention, and ongoing community resources. The organization presents itself as a comprehensive support framework for families facing complex cardiac diagnoses and treatment.

A central part of their work is patient advocacy and medical coordination. This includes advocating for appropriate inpatient care, obtaining and transferring medical records and scans for second opinions, and providing guidance and appeals support around insurance, authorizations, and out-of-state services. In the realm of medical networking, YL Hearts arranges referrals to leading cardiologists and specialists worldwide, helps families review and evaluate medical reports and treatment options, and facilitates ongoing conferences with physicians and medical professionals involved in a child’s care.

YL Hearts also addresses day-to-day and emotional burdens through family and patient care services. They provide nutritious meals for patients and their families at home, sibling support and professional intervention, and beautifully presented family care packages. For hospital stays, the organization offers exclusive Shabbos packages and items that bring a sense of “home” into the hospital, such as linens, toys, gifts, and customized hospital sleepwear to brighten extended admissions. In urgent situations, their crisis intervention services include expediting appointments, facilitating transfers of critically ill patients to recommended hospitals, offering support around heart transplantation, and assisting with crucial prenatal cardiac care.

In addition, YL Hearts fosters community and ongoing connection through events and structured resources. Programming includes retreats and gatherings for mothers, Sheves Achim events for fathers, family weekend retreats, Melave Malka and Chanukah family events, and monthly hospital lunch gatherings, along with educational events. The organization also maintains a helpline, lending library, information packets, parent networking opportunities, a medical supply gemach, a regular newsletter (Rhythms), and an adult chapter designed to meet the needs and challenges of patients as they grow older.