At Refuah Helpline 24/7 is not a motto, it is reality. Enter the home of Mr. & Mrs. Landau and the facts will speak for themselves. Their entire life, day and night is dedicated for this worthwhile cause and the hour on the clock does not deter them.
A 24 hour emergency pager system is available for any emergency that may arise. Obviously, these are not simple calls and naturally they set in motion a variety of tasks; oftentimes involving lengthy phone calls and complex decisions.
A critically ill patient takes a turn for the worse, g-d forbid, and transferring to a better facility is imperative. Time is of essence, red tape and bureaucracy have to be overcome. A mission is set in motion as numerous calls are made, conferring with experts, rabbonim, family and doctors to make the impossible happen.
A patient in the emergency room receives a devastating diagnose, the doctor wants to perform surgery immediately. They cannot wait for “regular business hours” to find out if they should proceed. They are in desperate need of guidance. They need to hear from the experts, they need to be comforted and primarily they need to be guided in the right direction.
A little child with a chronic illness is once again admitted to the hospital. The mother calls. The sound in her voice is forlorn and helpless. The burden of being the sole caretaker is taking its toll on her. She is inconsolable. What she needs is someone to hold her hand and imbue her with hope and strength to persist. A spontaneous decision is made to surprise her with a visit and a warm meal. The relief in her eyes reveals that it was well worth it.
The scenarios are diverse and the work is continuous.
And so, after a sleepless night of ringing phones and countless crises, a new day beckons. Filled with it list of pressing matters to deal with and new challenges to conquer. With determination and passion we forge on, rising to the challenges that it heralds.
