Shepherd Center

12/02/2025

1.2 million Georgians don’t have health insurance, and thousands more are underinsured, meaning their insurance wouldn’t cover services needed for full rehabilitation after an ABI or SCI. Many uninsured patients who sustain an SCI or ABI are discharged home from an acute care hospital, meaning they don’t receive the rehabilitation, mobility devices, medical equipment, or transition support needed after injury.

That’s where the Georgia Rehabilitation Services Volunteer Partnership (RSVP) Clinic at Shepherd Center comes in. Georgia RSVP Clinic offers free, high-quality outpatient rehabilitation services to uninsured and underinsured people recovering from brain injury, stroke, or spinal cord injury.

“This year marks our five-year anniversary as we celebrate the opening of the clinic. It has been amazing to witness the GA RSVP clients and their families rediscover hope,” says Susan Johnson, MA, CCC-SLP, founder of Georgia RSVP Clinic.

In the five years since its founding, the organization has served nearly 100 clients, providing expert medical, nursing, and therapy services; outfitting them with appropriate wheelchairs or mobility devices; and connecting them with peer support to foster emotional resilience and shared experiences.

Looking ahead, the RSVP clinic hopes to continue to spread awareness of the challenges faced by the uninsured and underinsured, particularly in the face of spinal cord injuries or brain injuries.

They plan to expand their volunteer force, deepen their allied health student program, increase the breadth of services offered to clients, and reach even more lives in need. Above all, they remain steadfast in pursuing the vision of “ability for all,” ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, deserves hope and the promise of a meaningful, high-quality life.

To volunteer with the Georgia RSVP Clinic, refer a client, or learn more, please visit https://www.garsvpclinic.org/impact.

12/02/2025

12/02/2025

Rebecca Williamson spent several months recovering from a spinal cord injury with the help of a team of nurses, therapists, and doctors. But in addition to her care team, a piece of technology was also helping in her recovery — a Hercules bed.

Hercules beds are equipped with a system that allows nurses and therapists to adjust a patient’s position in bed at the touch of a button. Kimberly Levenson, RN, BSN, CRRN, CWOCN, CFCN, says that it’s common for patients to slide down in their hospital bed throughout the day, and this can happen even more frequently for patients with high spasticity after a spinal cord injury.

The Hercules’ conveyor belt-like technology makes transferring them back to the head of the bed easier, reducing the risk of pressure sores and aspiration, she says. The tech also helps staff and caregivers.

“It reduces the risk of staff injuries,” Levenson says. “You aren’t manually lifting and twisting and pulling somebody in the bed. It’s a very gentle, non-traumatic way to reposition a patient.” Rebecca shares the sentiment — she says that compared to the standard bed she used at her acute care hospital, the Hercules beds allow for more gentle repositioning. “It prevents being tossed around in the bed,” she says. “That’s the biggest thing.”

We previously had 90 Hercules beds, which were not enough to meet demand, but thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Buckhead and its sister club, the Suceava-Bucovina Rotary Club in Romania, as well as the Rotary Foundation, we’ve added nine new Hercules beds to our inventory.

12/01/2025

Sometimes, you just need to stretch it out—and that’s especially true for our patients living with varying levels of disability.

That’s why our Recreation Therapy Program hosts yoga clinics. These sessions aren’t just about restoring strength and flexibility—they’re about encouraging long, healthy, and happy lives.

To learn more about our recreation therapy clinics click the link below.

11/28/2025

Nothing warms our hearts more than an unexpected show of support from our hometown heroes.

We were thrilled to see Atlanta Falcons receiver Casey Washington highlight Shepherd Center on his cleats during Sunday’s game as part of the My Cause My Cleats campaign.

Casey chose Shepherd as his cause after his role model, Bobby Roundtree, sustained a spinal cord injury.

Thank you, Casey for helping spread our message as we continue to restore the lives of people living with the most complex conditions.

11/28/2025

At Shepherd, we understand the importance of family dinners. During the day, the fourth floor of the Shepherd Center serves as a therapy gym, but on Tuesday nights, it transforms into a gathering place where families bond over food.

Shepherd’s Tuesday Night Family Dinner “is one of the highlights of my week,” says Lynda Tuesca, attending with her son, Ben, who was injured in a car crash. “We’re all happier when we’re sitting around a dinner table. You hear what brought everybody here, then you know them when you see them in the halls and elevators.”

Anna Elmers, M.D., started the weekly dinners in 2016 with Renee Houle, a former Shepherd patient. At first, Dr. Elmers and Renee cooked and served the dinners themselves with the help of their families and friends.

The dinners were suspended during the COVID pandemic, but they came back bigger than ever under the leadership of Jennifer Heffron, engagement coordinator for Shepherd Center Foundation.

Inpatients, outpatients, and even former patients are welcome. Matthew Ryan walks down from the SHARE Military Initiative on Peachtree Park Drive, where he is a client, every Tuesday.

“A lot of times we’re off in our rooms just doing our own thing,” he says. “These dinners give us a chance to fellowship together. A lot of people can’t afford to go out to dinner because their finances are tied up in recovery.”

Matthew says he has brought several of his fellow SHARE clients to the dinners. “The dinners are just like your family away from home,” he says. “They keep you sane and keep your spirits up.” And, he adds with a grin, “the desserts are always good.”

To learn more about our family dinners click the link below.

11/27/2025

In this season of gratitude, we are thankful for our patients, families, staff, donors, volunteers, and friends who allow us to do such meaningful work everyday. From our family to yours, happy Thanksgiving!

11/26/2025

In October, Shepherd Center employees participated in the Atlanta PRIDE Parade to celebrate inclusion and community. We are proud to support activities that are important to our people. At Shepherd Center, we value diversity and love connecting with our community. And shout-out of gratitude to our employees who led the charge to plan this activity and make Shepherd’s presence in the parade a reality.

11/25/2025

Camaraderie means sticking together—through thick and thin. Nothing shows that more than showing up for someone you’ve never met when they’re going through a challenging time.

That’s exactly what Atlanta Motor Officers did when they visited Indiana Officer Sam Taylor, who is currently in rehabilitation at Shepherd Center.

We’re so grateful for this incredible show of support and for the officers who remind us of what community truly means.

Special thanks to Sgt. Todd Harris, Officer Brian Turner, and our own Matilda Lamar-Reed.

11/25/2025

Braxton Davis started this year's Project Rollway off wearing an astronaut helmet. It was more than a silly prop, but representative of this year's theme, “On a Mission,” which incorporated space-themed decorations while tying in with the hospital-wide theme for Shepherd Center's 50th anniversary.

And that is not where the 50th anniversary celebration ended. Another runway model, Jackson Drum, presented the special-edition Nike Air Force Ones to hospital co-founder Alana Shepherd and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Shepherd. The customized sneakers, featuring bold Shepherd gold and blue, were designed by the adolescent program to commemorate the hospital's 50th anniversary.

This year's event also marked the end of an era, with event co-chair Ashley Kim, MPT, ATC, announcing that the evening would be her last time organizing the event, having done so for eight years.

"My favorite part is the fact that it's a huge collaborative effort, especially on the day of," says Kim, who worked in the Adolescent Spinal Cord Injury Day Program for nearly 18 years. "It brings the staff together, and it brings the patients together."

Cathi Dugger, PT, DPT, a therapy manager in the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, plans to lead the charge next year. Dugger led the first Project Rollway in 2014.

For information on how to support Project Rollway or other adolescent programs, you can visit the link below.

Thank you to our models, their families and friends, Shepherd Center staff, and everyone who made this event possible! And a special thank you to Ashley Kim for eight years of leading Project Rollway, as well as all our event attendees and sponsors.

11/24/2025

Congratulations to Kathleen Rollins, recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award at the 2025 Congressional Medal of Honor Society Patriot Awards Gala.

Presented by Medal of Honor Recipient Will Swenson, this honor recognizes Kathleen’s unwavering commitment to veterans, especially through her support of Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative.

Through the Gary W. Rollins Foundation, Kathleen has helped expand access to life-changing care for service members recovering from traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Her belief in the power of healing, education, and community has made a lasting impact on the lives of veterans and their families.

We are proud to celebrate Kathleen’s leadership and her dedication to those who have served.

11/24/2025

Recently, our own Tory Heller, an occupational therapist, sat down with Health Central, a platform that combines medically vetted health information with personal stories and patient advice, to offer practical strategies on how to preserve function and prevent decline while living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Living independently with MS looks different for different people, depending on the stage of their MS and their personal priorities. Tory explains that it is essential to remember that independence doesn't always look the same as it did in the past.

"Sometimes it's finding a different way to do it," Heller says.

That said, here are some tips to make sure MS doesn't stop you from living life your way.

Make simple home modifications:

"Sometimes disability accumulates from not necessarily the MS itself, but from injury that occurs as a result of fatigue or weakness," Heller explains.

You can make many modifications for free or at a low cost, such as removing trip hazards or simply rearranging your furniture to ensure clear and open pathways. Installing a ground-level nightlight helps navigate dark spaces more safely.

Use adaptive tools and technology:

Many people find simple tools like reachers, grabbers, and adaptive kitchen gadgets make daily tasks much easier, Heller says. PTs and OTs can guide you toward the tools and devices that best suit your needs.

Connect to the MS community:

No one knows about MS more than someone living with it. Doctors are experts, but the people who experience MS on a daily basis can be your best resource.

"I'll have patients come to me and say, ‘Hey, I found this thing that works,’" Heller explains. "People share all kinds of great information. You realize a person figured out some way of doing something, and that might just be the way that would make [your] life easier, too."

Furthermore, connecting with people from the MS community reminds you that you’re not alone in your experience.

These tips are just a couple of Tory’s suggestions. You can read the full article below to learn more. And remember, you are not alone.