Dedicated to Health

1. What motivated you to launch Aid L’Shalom?

Gitty: When my soul sister Devoiry’s husband was diagnosed with pancreatic stage 4 cancer, a day after his youngest son’s sheva brachos, doctors told him he had three weeks to live. They sent him home, and suggested he enjoy the last few days of his life. Shalom, a man fueled by emunah and bitachon, went home telling his wife that they would do every bit of hishtadlus so that he would not succumb to this deadly illness. He began researching every possible treatment that could prolong his life, with unparalleled determination. When he discovered restorative and FDA-approved vitamin C infusions, he realized that these, and other similar treatments, made a significant difference in his treatments. With the help of Hashem, these supplemented treatments gave him nearly three additional years of life. Those were not years spent weak and in pain; they were years he was able to attend and celebrate many family simchas, hold new grandchildren, and marry off a grandchild. He then realized that these supplemented treatments need to be available for all Jewish cancer-stricken patients, despite the hefty sums they can cost. Discreetly, he helped many patients obtain supplemented treatments and paid for many of them. His last wish was to use any money he left over to help people with these treatments, and then to continue with an organization to help others who struggled as he did. In his memory, we, his family, founded Aid L’Shalom.

At first, we assisted patients and educated them via different organizations we worked for, such as RCCS (Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society). Initially, RCCS helped us tremendously with financing. Unfortunately, the numbers just grew and grew, and opening our own organization was the obvious next step to take.

2. What do supplemented treatments consist of?

Devoiry: Firstly, it’s important to state that we solely believe in supplemented treatments. That is, we believe in combining conventional treatment with integrative and holistic treatments. Aid L’Shalom was not founded to provide holistic treatments in place of conventional medicine.

Supplemented treatments are natural, integrative options that can significantly mitigate medication side effects, prolong life span, and help the patient stay upbeat and b’koach. It makes all the difference in a patient’s overall health while they are being treated.

Vitamin C supplements, for example, are becoming a standard practice in many hospitals, administered by oncologists in conjunction with treatments. Vitamin C, known for its powerful immune-boosting properties, has helped thousands of patients become stronger and effectively fight the disease. With cancer treatments especially, vitamin C has marked the difference between a weak patient and strong warrior. These vitamin C transfusions are not yet covered by insurance and therefore cost an insurmountable sum. Therefore, patients turn to us for financial assistance.

Another amazing supplement is Haelan 951. This is a soy-based highly concentrated nutritional drink. It’s known to promote the body’s natural mechanisms of healing and immune support through whole food synergy. Cancer patients have seen an indescribable difference in their overall health when taking this drink daily. Obviously, these drinks are very expensive, especially since they need to be taken daily, and here’s where we step in.

A macrobiotic diet has also been doing wonders for many cancer patients. These diets, however, are very difficult to implement and maintain, especially since most patients don’t have the time to research and concoct macrobiotic dishes. To help patients with the diet, I myself, in my own kitchen, prepare tens of macrobiotic meals to be delivered to the patients daily, making such a diet possible.

These are just some of the many integrative treatments out there, and Aid L’Shalom is constantly researching and learning new natural approaches to supplement treatments.

3. What does a standard day at the organization look like?

Gitty: Devoiry starts her day at 5:00 a.m., latest 5:30, since she wouldn’t miss her daily Shacharis.

I start the day at 6:00 a.m., send off my special-needs child, and at 7:00 my phone starts ringing — usually with the international callers trying to catch me early in my day. And from 7:00 a.m., the phone doesn’t stop: Patient after patient, family after family, pleading for this, that, and the other. Sometime in between, I begin my cooking for the patients, arrange delivery, coordinate patients with our most wonderful volunteers, attend fundraising meetings, visit patients, and speak with Devoiry as we fill each other in on the day’s events. It’s 3:30 now, and I haven’t yet found a minute to daven. That’s the usual.

4. Can you share the hashgachah you witness in running the organization?

Gitty: Running Aid L’Shalom gives us so many opportunities to witness yad Hashem on a daily basis. Everything we do is only because of the siyatta d’Shmaya He sends our way. One amazing incident of hashgachah we experienced was the collaboration of our dear volunteer Yehudis Tauber. What are the chances of me from Monsey and Devoiry from Brooklyn meeting Yehudis from Flatbush, in Englewood, New Jersey, of all places? Realistically none, but that’s what happened. When Devoiry and I settled on Englewood to discuss the ongoing of the organization, we didn’t realize what Divine providence that was until we met Yehudis, who was also there. After striking a conversation, Yehudis, herself a cancer survivor who had also supplemented her medication, knew she wanted in with our organization. She called us up that night to tell us she was game. Ever since, she’s been a valuable asset, providing emotional support to patients, running many technical aspects, and helping us expand the organization.

We also can’t help but notice the incredible hashgachah in terms of the financials. Here’s just one interesting incident I recall: Years ago, we were helping a patient whose family was known to be very wealthy. Understandably, we were devoted to that patient in the same fashion as all the others, without expecting any donation. But as time went on and the assistance we provided them was indescribable, it was quite interesting to not have heard any appreciation from the family. Ten years later (!) by sheer Divine Providence, we somehow connected with the patient and, unexpectedly, the family gave us several thousand dollars. In hindsight, the monetary gift was of much greater necessity ten years down the line than it would’ve been ten years earlier.

5. Can you share a story that highlights the work you do?

Devoiry: Every patient has their own story. Every patient can testify the difference these natural supplements have made in their survival journey.

Initially, we were only focused on adults, since Dr. Hirschfeld and Dr. Bruckner, who we mainly deal with, are not pediatric doctors. Several years ago, Rav Weiss from the Eidah HaChareidis in Eretz Yisrael called and pleaded with us to accept a young child who had not been given any hope in Eretz Yisrael. We, in turn, begged Dr. Hirshfeld to see the patient, despite his usual policy toward pediatric cases. Hearing our desperation, he agreed to see the child. Even more so, the child was diagnosed with a very deadly form of cancer, r”l, for which there was no known cure. With tremendous siyatta d’Shmaya, and with Hashem allowing us to be the right shlichim, the boy, now several years later, is healthy and shteiging in yeshiva. When we recognized what a miracle had unfolded, we realized we’d be on pediatric cases too.

A while ago, we received a very unusual, unprecedented case of a child diagnosed with liver cancer. I’ve been working with patients for almost 30 years and had never heard of liver cancer in a child. The mother turned to us because she wanted an integrative treatment plan instead of going through the torture of chemotherapy. Of course, we didn’t encourage her to that, and instead urged her to speak to her rav. Not surprisingly, her rav strongly dissuaded her, and pushed her to try natural treatment in conjunction with conventional medication. Baruch Hashem, the child is doing beautifully, and had a smoother ride with the help of integrative treatments.

6. What makes Aid L’Shalom unique as an organization for cancer patients?

Holding a patient’s hand from beginning to the end is our foremost priority. We feel that a patient, when diagnosed, gets thrust into the most confusing, dark, and overwhelming world. We don’t want to overwhelm them even more by sending them to different organizations even if they request something we don’t typically service.

In fact, we have never said no to anything a patient requested, even if it meant stretching ourselves (and our pockets!) to unimaginable lengths. About a year ago, we asked a rav how we can accept every patient that comes our way if we are a mere fledgling organization. He firmly answered that if we don’t turn anyone away, we can rest assured that Hashem will fill the gap.

7. Aside from financial struggles, what is the greatest challenge in running the organization?

Definitely, the hardest part of running the organization is watching the sheer pain and agony Yidden have to endure. Their faces are marked with fear of mortality, their bodies are testimonies to the suffering they are going through, and their exhaustion is written all over. And when death does rear its ugly head, I make believe they are still alive. I rarely attend levayas. They are too painful for me to bear. The patients we help become part of our lives — in fact, my family often asks when they will come before the patients (and my answer is always, when Mashiach comes and there will be no more patients!).

8. What’s the best part of running Aid L’Shalom?

When we can finally see a patient through remission. But not everything is about the destination. The journey, too, can be replete with inspiration. When we get a text, “I wouldn’t have had a Yom Tov without you,” or “Nothing like a warm nutritious meal when I walk through the door,” or calls from patients, trying to relay their genuine profound appreciation, this feedback gives us the chizzuk to forge ahead.

9. How do you deal with the stress that comes along when running Aid L’Shalom?

Devoiry, for one, doesn’t get stressed, ever. She breathes Hakadosh Baruch Hu and lives with a matchless, steadfast emunah and bitachon. When faced with adversity, when the going gets tough, I turn to her for chizzuk and support. Many times, I was ready to throw in the towel, not knowing how we would cover our outstanding debts or pull off another day. It’s then that Devoiry reminds me that Hashem has always helped us.

My Tehillim has become my life support, too, and comforts me during stressful times.

10. How has running the organization impacted your life?

Watching and listening to the patients’ pains and ills has impacted my general perspective toward life. I have gained a deeper meaning in appreciating life, utilizing every minute, and focusing on what’s eternal and emes. On the flip side, admittedly, this attitude requires me to constantly judge people favorably. When I see people exploiting their time here with nonsense or wasting precious moments, it irks me (I know, I have to work on that!). It also bothers me deeply when I see people squandering thousands of dollars toward rubbish, when this money could’ve been used to save another patient, or make someone’s cancer journey less stressful.

Behind the Scenes

When we were contemplating a suitable name for the organization, Aid L’Shalom was suggested, but not without a double layer of meaning. On a superficial level the words mean an “aid to wholesomeness,” which really embodies what our organization does. From a different angle, it can mean what our organization really tries to perpetuate: a witness to R’ Shalom Neuman, a”h, because when faced with adversity this prince of a man didn’t give up and marched on.

Our tagline, “Because treatment is not enough,” brings across the importance of the organization, along with our oft-used subtitle, “What else can I do for my loved one?” which poignantly expresses the sole purpose of the organization.