We are Brendan, Megan, John, and Quinn Shields.
John was born seven weeks early in January 2020. He was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy shortly after his third birthday.
John is now six — kind, funny, fearless, and already swinging a golf club like his dad. Getting him here has meant countless doctors and trips to Boston Children’s, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pool therapy — often three appointments a week, on top of work, school, and everything else that makes up a family.
We consider ourselves incredibly lucky. We have good health insurance and a support system that always shows up for us. But even with all of that, we hit a wall we never saw coming: our insurance caps outpatient therapy at 60 sessions a year. It didn't matter that John's doctors were prescribing more. Once we hit the cap, every session became an out-of-pocket expense — thousands of dollars a year, indefinitely.
We could find ways to absorb that cost but most families can't. And when the money runs out, it's not the parents who pay the price — it's kids like John, whose progress depends on consistent care.
The Shields Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3), exists to close that gap for families on Cape Cod — so financial constraints don't get to decide how far a child with Cerebral Palsy can go.
Board of Directors:
Brendan Shields
Megan Shields
Nicholas Bowes
Jillian O’Neil
Michael Durkin
Michael Noonan
Kevin Killelea
