Sometimes it is perfectly ok
to pull the “C” Card.
Connecting Cancer patients to boutique hotels
in New York City and beyond for affordable stays.*
Many patients travel to New York City from near and far distances for access to some of the World’s most groundbreaking Cancer centers. While New York is a hub for some of the World’s most advanced medical facilities and hospitals, the city is also one of the most expensive to visit. Cancer is a life-threatening disease and comes with an incredible financial burden for many. The C Card helps to connect patients and caregivers with hotels directly for reduced room rates as well as comforting environments making the experience of being sick, a little easier.
*This site is meant to help those that most need it. Please do not share your login or the codes that our partners have generously created.
Major Hospitals in New York City*
*Please note that your doctor’s office may be at a different location from the main hospital. Use your appointment address for exact distance from the hotel.
FAQs
+ How did The C-Card come about?
In 2017, I underwent a bone marrow transplant for relapsed lymphoma. My own home was not suitable to live in for the weeks after transplant due to unplanned construction and my weak immune system. Because of daily appointments, I needed to stay close to my hospital and required a clean and comfortable space to recover in. I was lucky enough to find a contact in the hotel industry that helped me get a hotel room in a great location at a reduced rate. Additionally, throughout my own cancer journey, I met many patients who traveled from all over the world to visit hospitals and specialists in New York. I began to understand the financial burdens these patients and their caregivers faced just to be able to see these specialists and affordable housing was one of their biggest stressors. There are wonderful organizations out there such as Hope Lodge, Ronald McDonald House and AirBnB that all help with housing patients, but the process is a lengthy application. Having worked in the hospitality industry for years, I know hotels have always been taking care of their own 'friends and family', so I figured why not help guests that are going through what I myself remember as the most challenging time in my life. Additionally, sometimes travel and escape can greatly assist in the healing process and a staycation is a wonderful way to accomplish this when you cannot travel far for health reasons.
+ How is The C-Card able to assemble this group of hotels?
My career has been in hospitality, and The C-Card was established to find a way to help make the process of finding hotel rooms at affordable rates easier for cancer patients and their caregivers. During my cancer journey, I connected with a coworker, Brian, who was a force in the hospitality industry and had a large network of contacts. He was constantly connecting people and introduced me to many of the people I know today. Unfortunately, Brian lost his cancer battle around the same time that I was beginning to heal from mine - this website is dedicated to him.
+ Why can’t I book directly on the website?
Providing the software to allow bookings directly on the website (called a “booking engine” in the industry) would be costly, particularly for an entity that does not make any money (such as commissions or fees) from this service. Instead, we direct patients to the individual hotel websites using a code we provide to access reduced rates.
+ Why is my code not working?
Our hotel partners work with the C-Card to provide discounted rates based on availability, so they are not available at all times.
+ How were these hotels chosen?
We built this site starting with contacts and friends in the hotel industry that we know and trust. We are always working to add additional hotel partners and hope to see some of them join our site soon.
+ Why does the password for this site and the discount codes change?
In order to keep this site secure and make sure that these rates are being used by people who really need them, we frequently change the information in order to maintain control of access.
+ What benefit is there for hotels providing discounts on The C-Card?
In addition to providing a safe and clean room for someone who needs it, this site helps drive direct bookings through our hotel partners’ websites. By doing so, we reduce transaction costs for our hotel partners and help them provide more generous services like these.
+ What if I have special needs or requests for my stay?
Please reach out to me at michelle@theccard.org or to the hotel directly, and we will do everything in our power to help make arrangements that work for you.
+ Can I use these codes even if I am not traveling for a cancer-related appointment?
Our hotel partners make these special rates available for cancer patients and their caregivers to use in connection with their cancer treatments and healing journey.
+ How can I cancel the reservation I made using a code from The C-Card?
Please refer to the confirmation you received from your hotel after booking and cancel directly with them. The hotel’s individual cancellation policy must be followed.
