In a heartfelt initiative, two hospital rooms on the Upper West Side have been magically transformed into a children’s wonderland, designed to uplift the spirits of two young girls who are anxiously awaiting heart transplants.
Camp Lev, which translates to Camp Heart in Hebrew, was specially conceived for these brave youngsters. Its aim is to turn the typically sterile hospital environment into a lively, joyful space, akin to the everyday experiences of healthy children.
Eight-year-old Libby Meltzer has flourished under the care of Chai Lifeline’s weekly programs, which bring a splash of excitement and break the monotony for her and her best friend, two-year-old Shira, as they patiently await their life-saving surgeries.
“She’s been improving significantly. She’s much happier now and has something to eagerly anticipate,” shared Libby’s mother, Deborah Meltzer, in an interview with The Post.
Hailing from Waterbury, Connecticut, Libby was born with a congenital heart defect. This condition has led to multiple strokes, including a severe one in September that has significantly impacted her speech and ability to eat.
Libby, of Waterbury, Connecticut, was born with a congenital heart defect, which caused the youngster to suffer a series of strokes, including one in September that greatly affected her ability to eat and speak.
The stroke landed the 8-year-old on the transplant list for a new heart — and into a hospital bed at Columbia Children’s Hospital.
While the youngster was used to hospital visits, Libby struggled to acclimate to the “boredom” that came with her long-term stay.
“She hasn’t left the hospital in five months,” said Devorah, with her husband, Tzvi, adding that there’s “literally just nothing to do.”
“It’s hard because at the end of the day … you have a relatively healthy girl just waiting for a heart. Just entertaining her, filling in the hours and trying to make them productive hours, isn’t easy.”
Chai Lifeline has historically run camp-style programming for Jewish kids staying in hospitals, but the events were geared toward short-term patients.
The nonprofit dreamed up Camp Lev purely for Libby and Shira after both entered the hospital within the same two-month span and moved into neighboring rooms.
Each week, the so-called counselors dream up a new theme that comes with a list of activities, ranging from hat decorating to spa days.
Some weeks are spent learning dance moves, while others will see a group of young boys dressed as clowns visit the girls and bounce around their rooms to make the pair laugh.
The girls have also been gifted a litany of toys to brighten up their rooms, including bumper cars, scooters and Libby’s beloved ice cream maker.
“Libby herself is unique. She’s not your average 8-year-old girl who likes coloring and making bracelets and classic stuff. She likes cooking, which you can’t do in the hospital. She wants to make slime, something big and messy. So it’s been a challenge,” explained Tzvi.
Camp Lev, paired with great support from doctors and hospital staff, has helped Libby blossom over the last five months.
She’s been slowly regaining the ability to speak, and has been steadily keeping up with her schoolwork despite being in a hospital bed.
The camp has also offered the opportunity for Libby and Shira and their families to lean on one another through the difficult waiting process.
“It’s like a sister relationship. Libby’s the older sister. She takes care of her. They give each other toys to play with, they read each other books. They go on walks together. They race a lot in the hallway. They go on their bumper cars together,” said Deborah.
Shira’s family was not able to speak for this story amid their daughter’s health battle.
Unlike other camps, Camp Lev has no certain end date, and will continue until both Libby and Shira are discharged from the hospital.
“Often when illness hits a family, childhood is kind of taken away. We were trying to think of ways to bring childhood back into their life and give them a little bit of joy within the situation that they’re in,” Rivka Gordon, the girls’ case worker, said.
“How can we make them still feel like their children? They still have excitement and joy and so much of that was taken away from them. So we just try to bring it back.”
