Back when I was first diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, I came across myibd.org. There I found a FREE Restroom Access Card. I was elated to have another tool in my IBD belt to help me when I was in need. I loved that it was professional looking. I loved that it was made of PLASTIC and therefore durable. I also loved that I didn’t have to pay for it… though I was willing to pay for it (within reason, of course).
“Free” Cards
Since then, I have been saddened to learn that the cards are no longer offered by myibd.org. I began searching for other places to get them. Some companies will offer you ones for free, but I’m not happy with the quality (flimsy paper will not hold up over time). Other places will give you a Restroom Access card for “free”… but you have to fork over $$ to become a “member” (Who with a chronic illness has that much to spare?). There are other places to get these cards, and I don’t mean them any disrespect, but they look like a meme.
Promotional Items
Another thing I don’t like about many of these Restroom Cards is that there’s an agenda behind them. I don’t like that many of these cards have the company’s logo on them. To me, doing so says, “Look at us and all the good we’re doing for patients in need! Buy our product/Donate to us today!” It makes you look like you’re more about promoting yourself rather than helping the patients.
Let’s Do This
This is when I decided to take matters into my own hands. Maybe I could create something that people could get for free? In my research, I’ve discovered that these cards don’t come without a price. Which is probably why they aren’t offered for free by some companies/organizations. I decided to create my own Restroom Access Cards.
When creating the cards, I wanted to keep three main things in mind…
1) Professionalism
Like our medical conditions, the restroom access cards need to be taken seriously. Something that is lacking in some of the cards is the poor design. For others it was, as I stated above, meme-like. If our diseases are to be taken seriously by the general public, I needed to create something that looked serious and professional while conveying the urgency (hence the red, the word “urgent” and the medical alert symbol). I also wanted to avoid any association with my blog because it isn’t about me or the money, it’s about helping the patients!
2) Quality
Our credit cards and driver’s licenses are used a lot. If they were made of paper, we would be having to replace them too often. Thankfully, they hold up pretty well. They are made of PLASTIC to ensure the everyday use holds up — even in the laundry! I wanted to make sure that patients had a reliable Restroom Access Card, too. Something that can be used over and over without fear of damage–even if they get wet.
3) Affordability
I wish that there was a way right now for me to offer the restroom access cards for free. Believe me when I say if I could, I would give them away. Sadly, printing and shipping cost money and for that reason I must distribute them via selling them. I wanted to make sure that people could afford them. As of right now, the cards are being sold for $3.50 for US residents. One day I hope to lower the price or offer them for free! But until then, you can own one for the price of a snack!
No, they aren’t free, but I can assure you that the money made from the sales of these cards go to a good cause! If you purchase yours from Colitis Ninja all funds go toward printing, shipping and website maintenance for the Restroom Act Project. Any extra funds obtained go to IBD awareness AND care packages for children with IBD. As I said, I do wish I could give them away for free, but I still have bills to pay, student loan debt, a household to run and a family to care for. I hope that this post helps explain things to help you understand why I’m not offering them for free.
If you are interested in purchasing a card, email me or CLICK HERE.
