New York City is known for its tough—and often expensive—reputation. It is the city that never sleeps, the world financial capital and the home of “You’re fired!” But for many caregivers and their patients across America and around the world, it’s a place with heart. For right in the heart of the city is an oasis of support and comfort for financially conscious families caring for seriously ill patients. It is called Miracle House, a non-profit agency started in 1990 that has provided a home away from home for caregivers and caregiver-escorted patients from 47 states and 16 countries. Miracle House was originally established solely to house caregivers of AIDS patients. Now, it’s expanded its scope to provide residence for patients as well—whether they suffer from AIDS, cancer, diabetes or other ailments—in their five furnished, three-bedroom apartments, each outfitted with a kitchen, fully stocked pantry, TV, phones and even computer access. And two of those apartments—8C and 9C—recently were renovated by the Oprah Winfrey magazine, O At Home.

Located on Manhattan’s West 43rd Street, in the Big Apple’s theater district, those staying at Miracle House experience a supportive, family-like atmosphere without concern for the normally high costs of a visit to New York. Accommodations cost just $40 per night and a sliding-scale cost system is available for those more financially hard-pressed.

Miracle House has a small full-time staff of five people and a volunteer staff of about 150. The volunteers help the patients and their families navigate the imposing city. They meet guests when they arrive, point out the file of bus and subway maps in each apartment, and show guests the computer with Internet access. The volunteers answer questions about how to get to hospitals and where to find the nearest pharmacies, restaurants and stores.

Among the benefits of staying at Miracle House are the daily paid-for breakfasts and twice-a-week dinners at the diner across the street. Besides providing good food, these group meals offer the comfort of talking with others in a similar situation. Recently, a volunteer named Erin escorted to breakfast about 12 guests—including patients, spouses, children and significant others—who had come from Virginia, Maine, North Carolina and upstate New York. Their ease in connecting with each other was remarkable.

I was afraid of coming to New York,” says Marylou, who several times has stayed at Miracle House with her husband, Ray, who is finishing his cancer treatments. “The idea of driving was terrifying. A friend of ours took off of work and drove us here.” Ray remarked that, when he was first diagnosed, some of their friends who had no experience with cancer pulled away. What Ray found most valuable about Miracle House was the opportunity to share cancer stories and get support. “It is a relief to be able to share the experience with others who understand. I can’t do that with many of the people we know at home.”

During discussions at that breakfast, two patients discovered they were being treated at the same hospital and radiation lab. They shared the stories of their illness and the hurdles they surmounted to receive their special treatments. A patient named Scott revealed how his local doctor told him that he had only a 50/50 chance of surviving because of a tumor in his back. Scott and his wife researched specialists on the Internet until he found a doctor in New York who told him the operation was possible and gave Scott hope. The couple knew they had to act quickly because the tumor was pushing against his spine and soon could paralyze him. They battled with their HMO to get approval for the surgery. nce they got that approval, they needed a place to stay. Scott said they could not have afforded standard New York City hotel rates. Finding Miracle House, he notes, gave him “one less thing to think about.”

Scott had the surgery, which involved three doctors, took 11 hours and required 95 staples to put him back together. He’s come back to Miracle House to complete seven weeks of ongoing treatments. Now in his third week of treatment, he’s joined by his daughter Liz, since his wife could not take any more time off from her job at a bank. Liz flew in from Portland, Oregon, where she works in the IT department of Nike, to relieve her sister, who also works for Nike and had been with their father the two previous weeks. “You get perspective on life,” says Liz. She adds that the volunteers are awesome, having directed her to shopping in NYC’s SoHo district and to museums. One volunteer even got her cheap tickets to her first Broadway show.

Doug, another patient at the table, shared a similar story of being told the cancer in his kidney, liver and lungs was “inoperable because it was too advanced.” Doug and his wife, Anna, got a second opinion from doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and had their hopes renewed.

A lot of people give up when they hear the diagnosis,” Doug explains. “They don’t have support. I realized how fragile life is and I decided to take control.”

Doug added that a few years ago he could not have handled it because of pride and selfishness. “I focused on being a good provider; I could not hug my son or show emotions. [Now,] I realize the importance of caring for people and relationships.”
As Doug’s caregiver, Anna has been his main support yet has felt the pressure that role can entail. “I felt I had to be his support all the time and not be down,” she says, “[but] after a while I couldn’t take it anymore.” Doug said he could tell Anna was stressed and—to her great relief—he finally said to her, “You can get mad at me!”

Marylou, Ray’s wife, said she has been putting off necessary doctor visits. “I know I’m neglecting myself,” she admits. “I need to get a mammogram.” She’s been dealing with Ray’s health needs for a while and has developed some ways to cope. “Sometimes I go out to lunch by myself; I really need time alone.” And, she adds, “I read inspiring books. Right now, I’m reading The Art of Living.”

But Marylou also explained how Miracle House volunteers helped make life easier even with what would be considered the little things. Pointing to her thick-soled shoes, she says, “These are my New York shoes. When we first came to New York, I wore loafers, thinking they would be comfortable. With all the walking I’ve done here, I found I needed to buy better walking shoes.” One of the volunteers helped Marylou find a store to buy more suitable shoes. She joked about her new shoes and suggested that Liz from Nike design some New York walking shoes Miracle House could provide to their guests.

“I look at Miracle House as an opportunity to meet others,” says Anna, “an adventure, a blessing.”