Shepherd Center

Today, our Shepherd Center family is saddened by the passing of legendary businessman, philanthropist, and our friend, Bernie Marcus. Bernie’s generosity has changed the landscape of healthcare in Georgia and beyond and most certainly here at Shepherd Center. A cherished partner since Shepherd Center’s earliest years, his foundation most recently gave Shepherd Center a grant to build the Marcus Center for Advanced Rehabilitation, enabling us to provide care to more patients and families for generations to come.   Bernie’s leadership and vision have been foundational across Shepherd’s work, mission, and culture, and we’re grateful for his guidance in always asking ourselves, “What can we do better?”   As we celebrate his impact and grieve his passing, we also extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Billi, the Marcus family, and all of those who love him.

Ever since Dylan Wood was young, he’s been in love with how movies can evoke emotions—making you feel for someone you don't even know or putting you in situations you aren't familiar with. "Movies make you feel like you're not alone," he says. After a car accident three years ago during which he sustained a spinal cord injury, Dylan used his passion for film to shine a light on a frequently underrepresented group in media: the disability community. Dylan spent time recovering and rehabilitating at Shepherd Center, and since returning home two years ago, he has channeled his creative energy into filmmaking. Before his accident, Dylan was an actor. However, after his injury, he grew frustrated by the limited opportunities for actors with disabilities to secure substantial roles in films. This baffled him, especially given how many unique perspectives could be shared on screen. Determined to create change, Dylan transitioned to writing and directing. No longer would he wait for opportunities to come to him—he decided to make his own. One such film that he wrote and directed eventually won him the Best Inspirational Film award at the Twin Falls Sandwich Film Festival in Idaho. Dylan has completed three short films and a music video, with his award-winning short telling the story of a woman with MS, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of life with a progressive condition. "I didn’t just want to write a film that anybody else could write," Dylan explains. "I wanted something personal to me—a film that could only come from someone who has faced their own battles." "I want to have characters up there that people like me can really relate to, whether that’s someone in a wheelchair or someone struggling with a terminal illness." #RepresentationMatters #InclusiveFilmmaking #DisabilityInMedia #InspiringStories #TwinFalls #ShepherdCenter

At Shepherd, we care about what matters to our patients. For Jessie Adams, that meant voting. Jessie has never missed an election, and this year was no different, thanks to her team on our Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit (CRU). She was grateful her team made sure she fulfilled her civic duty! Another #ShepherdDayInTheLife.

Congratulations to our own Kelsey Taylor, an occupational therapist in our Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit, who was recognized as the "Outstanding Occupational Therapy Practitioner of the Year" at the Georgia OT Association Annual Conference in Athens this past weekend! No surprise to those of us who know her – Kelsey's devotion, skill, and passion shine through in everything she does. We are so proud to have her on our team! Join us in celebrating this fantastic achievement! #GeorgiaOTA #OccupationalTherapy #PractitionerOfTheYear #HealthcareAwards #ShepardCenter #Congratulations

It got real spooky on Halloween when our adolescent team comprised of patients and staff made us scream and holler as we tried to get away from the creepy crawlers and the ghostly ghouls. We had a happy Halloween and we hope you did too! #SpookySeason #HalloweenMemories #StaffFun #PatientAppreciation #HealthcareHalloween #ShepherdCenter

Happy Halloween! At Shepherd Center, we take two things here very seriously: patient care and Halloween costumes. How many costumes do you recognize? #HappyHalloween #HalloweenCostumes #TrickOrTreat #ShepherdCenter #RehabilitationHospital #HealthcareFun #InclusiveHalloween

The Circus of Horrors had us doing tricks and jumps to escape its eerie clutches! Thank you, Dr. Ben Thrower, the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute, and all the incredible staff and volunteers who created this spine-chilling haunted house experience for our patients, family members, and staff. Your spooky creativity made this event an unforgettable day of fright and fun. #HappyHalloween #MSInstitute #MSAwareness #RehabilitationHospital #ShepherdCenter

Meet Victory Lapido, a Georgia Research Alliance - GRA Student Scholar who spent a year at Shepherd Center’s Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute testing innovative “smart socks.” These high-tech socks, developed by Sensoria Health, are equipped with sensors that measure walking in real-time, giving healthcare providers valuable data outside the clinic. Victory played a crucial role in ensuring the socks worked as intended, processing and analyzing an incredible amount of data. Her insights were eye-opening, especially when comparing the data from the socks to how patients perceived their walking experiences — sometimes, the results were completely different! This unique experience deepened Victory’s understanding of how clinical research can benefit patients and the wider community. Thank you, Victory, for your hard work and dedication! #InnovationInHealthcare #MedicalResearch #MultipleSclerosis #ShepherdCenter #AndrewCCarlosMSInstitute #GeorgiaResearchAlliance

Shepherd Center is excited to announce a new partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help more people get back outdoors after illness or injury! This adaptive hunting partnership will allow Shepherd Center’s recreation therapists to train DNR staff on leading adaptive hunting and fishing trips, ensuring best practices for working with individuals who have temporary or permanent disabilities. DNR will reserve two adaptive hunting spots for current and former Shepherd Center patients as part of the Outdoors Beyond Barriers program. “Our Outdoors Beyond Barriers initiative focuses on removing obstacles for people with mobility impairments, helping them reconnect with nature and enjoy activities like hunting,” says Walter Rabon, Commissioner of Georgia DNR. We’re excited to see how this partnership will open up more opportunities for our patients to experience the outdoors and take part in seven deer hunts planned for this season! #AdaptiveHunting #AccessibleOutdoors #DisabilityInclusion #OutdoorsBeyondBarriers #AdaptiveRecreation #ShepherdCenter #GeorgiaDNR

We wheelie loved last week's lunch, courtesy of Regions Bank! They donated 100 Chick-fil-A boxed lunches for our Shepherd Center staff and patients as part of their fantastic community outreach. Our outpatient clinic teams enjoyed every bite! Plus, Regions Bank brought their signature bicycle on a massive trailer for everyone to admire. Thank you, Regions Bank, for fueling us up and rolling through with some serious style! #RegionsBank #StaffAppreciation #WheelGoodTime #ShepherdCenter #RehabilitationHospital #AtlantaCommunity