Welcome
A World Where Every Heart Beats Strong. That's Our Promise, Fueled by Long Island Compassion.
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Imagine a sound. The steady, rhythmic beat of a healthy heart – a promise of laughter, of first steps, of lifelong dreams. Now, imagine that sound faltering, struggling, from the very first breath.
Across the globe, approximately 1 in every 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) – making it the most common birth anomaly. These are not choices; they are challenges to the very core of a child's existence. For these courageous little ones, their biggest fight begins the moment they enter the world.
While advanced medical care means most CHDs are treatable in developed nations, a devastating truth emerges in many parts of the world: life-saving care is simply out of reach. In communities where doctors lack specialized training, where hospitals are unequipped, or where families face insurmountable financial barriers, a child's fragile heart often means a life cut tragically short, or one lived in constant struggle, unable to play, learn, or even breathe easily. For countless families, the agonizing question is not "if," but "how long?"
This is why Gift of Life Long Island exists.
As a proud chapter of Gift of Life International, we are a vital part of a global network dedicated to saving young lives. With the unwavering support of local Rotarians, compassionate host families, and our dedicated medical partners, Gift of Life Long Island bridges the critical gap between desperate need and life-saving solutions.
Our commitment ensures that children, who have no access to care in their home countries, receive the critical cardiac intervention they desperately need, wherever that care can best be provided. We achieve this by:
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Empowering global medical teams through vital training missions in underserved regions.
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Providing essential equipment for operating and recovery rooms in partner hospitals worldwide.
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Sometimes, facilitating specialized, life-saving treatment for children right here on Long Island when local options are exhausted.
We bridge the impossible. We mend tiny hearts, transforming desperate pleas into joyful beats. We give parents back their children, relieved of unimaginable worry. We don't just perform surgeries; we restore futures, one precious beat at a time.
The urgent, global need continues every day. Each child's struggle is unique, but their hope for a healthy life is universal.
Join us. Your support doesn't just treat a condition; it gifts a child a lifetime. Explore our stories, learn more about our local impact and our connection to the global mission, and discover how you can be the reason a little heart beats strong.
Gift of Life International Making Dreams Come True Around the World
On the evening of September 10, 2026, members of the Gift of Life Long Island Board were honored to attend the Gift of Life International Making Dreams Come True Around the World event at Terrace on the Park!
It was an inspiring fundraiser focused on one powerful mission: making a family's dream of a healthy, happy child come true by healing little hearts.
Key Highlights from the Evening:
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Sustainable Pediatric Cardiology: Inspiring stories were shared from recent medical training missions that built sustainable pediatric cardiac programs in countries like El Salvador, Jordan, Bolivia, Uganda, and beyond!
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Global Health Internship: We heard presentations from the inaugural cohort of the Gift of Life International Global Health Internship. Developed in partnership with institutions like Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS), this program gives undergraduate students hands-on experience on international medical missions. Launched in June 2026 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, interns engaged in clinical shadowing across pediatric cardiology, cardiac surgery, catheterization, and ICU units, while meeting with local healthcare leaders to tackle systemic challenges in pediatric heart care.
It was a truly wonderful event as we continue our shared work with Gift of Life International to heal little hearts around the world and make dreams come true!
For more about how Gift of Life International and Gift of Life Long Island are partnering to make the dreams of children come true by healing their little hearts, watch the video below!
Healing Little Hearts Gala Impact: 9 Lives Transformed in Jordan Thanks to YOU! ❤️
Every child deserves a healthy heart and a full, happy life—and because of your kindness, nine children just received that precious gift.
We are so deeply moved to share this video from Gift of Life International following their medical training mission to Jordan in August. Thanks to this incredible effort, nine courageous little ones—six from Gaza, two from Jordan, and one from Algeria—underwent life-saving heart procedures.
To everyone who attended, donated, and poured their hearts into our Healing Little Hearts Gala this past spring: this is your impact. You gave these children a second chance, relieved nine terrified families of unimaginable worry, and gave them back their little ones' futures.
Thank you for being the reason nine young hearts are beating strong today.
Watch the powerful update here:
9-Year-Old Maria Jose Gets a Second Chance at Life!
We're thrilled to share an incredible story that truly showcases the power of Rotary and the Gift of Life program!
Meet 9-year-old Maria Jose Torres from Honduras. Maria Jose was born with a 5cm hole in her heart, a condition that Honduran doctors lacked the ability to fix. Thanks to the unwavering support of Gift of Life Long Island, Maria Jose and her courageous mother, Karen, were flown to the United States for life-saving surgery.
Maria Jose underwent a successful procedure at St. Francis Hospital, performed by the skilled Dr. Sean Levchuk, and we're overjoyed to report that the hole in her heart is now fixed! She's smiling today because her heart is healed!
This heartwarming journey, from Honduras to healing, was made possible by the incredible generosity, compassion, and commitment of Rotarians. From their arrival in June 2026, including visits to the Rotary Clubs of Amityville and Islip, to the moment her heart was healed on July 2, 2026, Rotary's spirit of service shone brightly.
Maria Jose now has the chance to live a long, healthy, and happy life, all because Rotarians believe in making a difference, one little heart at a time. This is what 'Service Above Self' looks like!
THANK YOU, ROTARIANS, for your unwavering dedication to changing lives and healing little hearts around the world. You truly make the world brighter!
Also, thank you to Paul and Annette Scallon, for hosting Maria Jose and Karen during their medical visit to the United States. Also, thank you to Dennis Ciano, Merri Ciano, Steven Catalano, and Bob Nathan for all that you do to make this possible!
Rotary's Gift of Life: Global Kindness Saves Sheyla's Heart
The long journey from Honduras found its hopeful conclusion on Sunday, April 26, 2026, as 13-year-old Sheyla José and her mother, Maria José, stepped into the bustling expanse of Newark Airport. For Sheyla, every breath had become a silent struggle, a poignant reminder of the rare and debilitating condition that caused her heart to leak blood into her lungs, threatening to steal her future. But today, a new chapter was beginning.
Cutting through the exhaustion of travel, two warm smiles greeted them. Bob Nathan and Dennis Ciano, dedicated Board Members of Gift of Life Long Island and Rotarians, extended a welcoming hand. A camera captured the moment: Maria José, Sheyla, and Rotarian Dennis Ciano, a tableau of hope and anticipation. This extraordinary journey, from a small village in Honduras to the heart of the United States, had been meticulously arranged by Rotary Gift of Life International in conjunction with Gift of Life Long Island. Their mission: to provide Sheyla with the pediatric micro-surgery that promised to mend her delicate heart.
The warmth of their reception continued as Sheyla and Maria José settled into their temporary home with the kind-hearted host family, Steve and Martha Catalano. Just a few days later, on Thursday, April 30, 2026, they were honored guests at the Rotary Club of Islip General Membership Meeting. Amidst a room full of supportive faces, Sheyla, her initial shyness slowly giving way to comfort, stood between Steven Catalano, her mother Maria Jose, and the ever-present, reassuring figure of Bob Nathan. It was a powerful display of community, a testament to the collective effort to give Sheyla a new lease on life.
The most crucial day arrived swiftly: May 6, 2026. Once again, Bob Nathan was there, his steadfast presence a comfort as he transported Sheyla and Maria José to St. Francis Hospital. A quiet bravery masked the profound anxiety etched on Sheyla’s young face. She had confided to her mother, through tears, that she "did not want to go on living with the way she felt in her body." Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of Gift of Life Long Island, that feeling was about to change.
In front of the imposing yet hopeful façade of St. Francis Hospital, Maria José embraced Sheyla, a final photograph capturing the solemn promise of the morning. Inside, waiting for them was Dr. Sean Levchuk, the renowned pediatric surgeon who would perform the delicate procedure. Dr. Levchuk, a true healer, had generously offered his expertise ‘pro bono,’ a gift as vital as any other, understanding the profound impact this surgery would have.
Hours later, the waiting room door opened, and Dr. Levchuk’s smile was the first sign. He approached Maria José and Sheyla, who was now awake and groggy but filled with a new lightness. “The procedure was a complete success,” he announced, his voice brimming with professional satisfaction and genuine warmth. “We have successfully fixed Sheyla’s heart!” A wave of relief, profound and pure, washed over them. No longer would her heart leak, no longer would every breath be a struggle.
To commemorate this life-altering moment, Dr. Levchuk paused for a photo with Sheyla and her beaming mother, a picture of gratitude and newfound hope. Sheyla’s journey from Honduras to Long Island was more than just a medical trip; it was a testament to human kindness, global cooperation, and the power of a shared vision to save a life. With a mended heart and a future stretching brightly before her, Sheyla José was ready to breathe deeply and live fully, a vibrant testament to the Gift of Life.
A special thank you to Pamela Greene of the Sayville Rotary Club for hosting Sheyla and Maria Jose for a few days, providing invaluable comfort and support during their stay
An Evening of Heartfelt Generosity and Life-Changing Impact!
On May 22, 2026, our Healing Little Hearts Gala at Flowerfield was an overwhelming success, and we are still buzzing with gratitude for everyone who joined us!
Because of the incredible support from our community, our sponsors, and every guest in attendance, we are proud to announce that we successfully raised the funds needed to send medical training missions to Jordan in
August and Bolivia in November! This means our teams will soon be heading out to train local surgeons and heal vulnerable children, giving them a second chance at life.
We're so excited to share some wonderful moments from the event with you all! Swipe through our album to relive the magic.
Thank you for being part of this vital mission. And of course, a special shout-out to Harry Miller for his leadership! Together, we are truly helping heal little hearts around the world.