When a child becomes unwell, families are often forced to make urgent decisions under pressure — about care, access and cost. Alongside the emotional strain of navigating illness, financial barriers can quickly add strain to an already difficult situation.

For families raising children with complex medical, developmental or physical challenges, this pressure is often amplified: costs frequently fall outside standard insurance coverage or household budgets, turning access to essential care and support into an additional hurdle at the very moment they are least equipped to carry it.

As one of Bermuda’s oldest charities, the Committee of 25 exists to offer support at precisely those moments.

Our purpose is to support children and young people in Bermuda living with medical, developmental or physical challenges by providing compassionate financial assistance for essential medical equipment, travel and related supports — helping them to thrive and participate fully in their communities. At its core is a simple principle that has guided our work for decades: a child’s opportunity to thrive should not be limited by financial circumstances.

We support families across Bermuda through discreet financial assistance, working with healthcare professionals and community organisations to address practical barriers to care. Our role is to step in when financial pressure risks compounding an already overwhelming situation.

As one parent shared: “Most parents feel like they are doing this alone … they’re afraid and stressed and still trying to figure out how to fund it. And when the only obstacle left is a financial restraint — and someone like your charity is able to help — magic is created for that individual.”

That is the space we aim to occupy — providing timely, practical support that allows parents to focus on care and decision-making, rather than cost.

This need for this support in Bermuda remains significant. In the past year, we provided needs-based assistance to 35 children and young people. That figure represents 35 families — parents, grandparents and other caregivers — navigating complex medical or developmental needs, where financial support helped to keep care within reach.

Our grants helped families to access wheelchairs and adaptive technology, fund essential therapies, and offset the costs of overseas medical travel and accommodation when care was not available locally. In practical terms, this support helped to prevent care from being delayed or out of reach.

While our priority is responding to urgent, individual circumstances, we are focused on building a system where families know where to turn, understand what support is available, and can access help without delay or unnecessary complexity.

As we approach our 75th anniversary next year, we have taken deliberate steps to strengthen the infrastructure behind this work. Clearer referral pathways, improved communications and a refreshed website are making it easier for families, healthcare professionals and community partners to engage with us. These changes are designed to improve access and responsiveness to the families we serve.

We are also investing in long-term capacity through the launch of the Committee of 25 Edna Watson Scholarship, supporting Bermudians pursuing paediatric-focused careers such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. We recognise that financial assistance alone is not enough; building local expertise is essential to strengthening the broader system of care for our island’s children.

Sustaining this work depends on community support. We rely on volunteers who contribute time, skills and professional expertise — supporting operations, events and outreach, and helping us to reach families who need assistance. We encourage members of the community to get involved, strengthening our capacity, governance and long-term effectiveness. More information about volunteering and membership can be found on our website.

A Bermuda where every child can participate fully is one where opportunity is broader, resilience is stronger, and their potential is not lost. By supporting children today, we help to build a stronger Bermuda for the future.

• Miriam Shaya-King is the chairwoman of the Committee of 25. Learn more atcommitteeof25.org. This op-ed is part of the Third Sector Spotlight Series, a collective campaign co-ordinated by the Non-Profit Alliance of Bermuda. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the value, impact and contributions of Bermuda’s non-profit sector