Shepherd Center

10/21/2026

As we celebrate Pharmacy Week, we are proud to celebrate five years of our pharmacy residency program, dedicated to preparing skilled, adaptable pharmacists who provide care at every stage of the patient journey.

Over the years, our residents have completed impactful work in the field of pharmacy, from optimizing medication dosing and antibiotic infusion times to turning infectious disease rotation experiences into career opportunities and driving systemwide improvements in patient care.

Our residents have not only come to learn but have also made meaningful contributions that have helped make Shepherd Center stronger as a whole.

Over the last five years:

* Year 1: Kristina Carbone and Julie Parker
* Developed pharmacist-led renal dosing and extended-spectrum beta-lactam protocols to optimize medication dosing and antibiotic infusion times.

* Year 2: India Dillard and Karishma Patel
* India turned her Infectious Disease rotation into a position at the Atlanta ID Clinic, and Karishma earned praise from an MSL for her multiple sclerosis Grand Rounds presentation.

* Year 3: Leena Salam
* Demonstrated pharmacist-led impact through a research project showing improved follow-up LDL monitoring and statin therapy at discharge for ischemic stroke patients.

* Year 4: Sasha Rehmani and Bryce Lackey
* Contributed to systemwide improvements in patient care by updating the hospital-wide venous thromboembolism (VTE) guideline.

* Year 5: Muhan Wang and Rachel Borra
* Advanced medication safety and patient care by developing order sets for extravasation management and sepsis care, now progressing toward implementation.

We are grateful to all the residents who have come through our program and look forward to future residents who will continue advancing patient care at Shepherd Center.

10/20/2026

Nate Slack served for 20 years as a fast boat operator and federal boarding officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.

But in 2006, he started having a myriad of health problems, which he now believes resulted from the “wave slamming” from the boats traveling at high speed over the ocean.

He experienced intense migraines, dizziness, confusion, light sensitivity, hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations, and he developed an unhealthy relationship with substances.

Those symptoms worsened and later included vision problems, trouble sleeping, irritability, and difficulty regulating his emotions. Doctors treated his symptoms but could not identify the cause.

Therapy helped, but only to a point. He began to lose hope that things would improve. “I felt so alone,” says Nate, who retired from the military in 2020. “I didn’t feel like there was any hope. It seemed like there was something wrong with me that couldn’t be fixed.” Then a friend sent him an article from the Avalon Action Alliance about other fast boat operators experiencing the same symptoms. He shared the article with his neurologist, who diagnosed a traumatic brain injury.

Through Avalon, he learned about Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative. When he arrived at Shepherd Center in late 2025, Nate knew he was in the right place. “Seeing the care in my doctor’s eyes made me feel that I was not alone,” Nate says. “I finally felt at peace, knowing I was going to get help.”

Through cognitive therapy, Nate learned to manage his emotions, and he began taking medication for depression and anxiety. He also worked on sharpening his memory, improving his balance, and easing the chronic pain he was experiencing. He drew strength from his fellow veterans in SHARE.

“I know now that the things I’m feeling are normal,” he says. “We have all felt that way in different ways and at different times. They are very inspiring to me.” Nate graduated from SHARE in a much better place and says he is stepping into a new chapter of healing.

He’s living on the coast in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his family and works as a freelance boat captain. He is extremely grateful for the care — and hope — he received at SHARE. “Those therapists and clinicians are truly saving lives,” Nate says. “They care about the clients who walk through the door. You can feel it in that program.”

10/16/2026

As we recognize Case Management Week, we want to give a well-deserved shoutout to our case management team.

Case managers play a critical role in the rehabilitation journey, helping coordinate care, supporting patients and families, and ensuring a seamless experience from admission through discharge. Through their individualized approach, they work alongside patients, families, and Shepherd Center's rehabilitation care team to address a wide range of needs while helping navigate complex healthcare decisions.

Often serving as one of the first points of contact for patients and families, our case managers help ensure each person receives the resources, support, and care they need to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Their work impacts every stage of recovery, improving patient outcomes, coordinating services, and helping pave the way for a successful transition back to the community.

Thank you to our case management team for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of the patients and families we serve.

10/16/2026

10/15/2026

Nearly 100 guests gathered in Shepherd Center's Callaway Auditorium for the inaugural Multiple Sclerosis Symposium, which united patients from the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute with members of the broader MS community from metro Atlanta and beyond.

Throughout the day, attendees heard from MS experts Jacqueline Rosenthal, M.D., Cole Crowson, M.D., Meena Kannan, M.D., and Brad Willingham, Ph.D., who shared insights on current treatment options, groundbreaking research, and the future of MS care. Participants were also able to engage directly with experts during a question-and-answer panel, fostering meaningful conversations and learning opportunities.

The symposium was about more than education. It was about building community.

We were honored to hear from Tiffany A. Vinson, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society ambassador, founder of The Adjustability Act Initiative, and author of “If it Don’t Align, I Decline,” and Terry Hord, a patient at the MS Institute and a member of the board of trustees of the Georgia Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Hord, along with her twin sister, Tamara Kahn, created a website to help educate and support other people with MS. In her remarks, she recommended participants learn more about all the resources Shepherd has to offer and told the group, “I couldn’t be more proud of everyone here today. You’re here, you’re learning, you’re socializing. Keep going!”

While many participants receive care through Shepherd Center, others traveled from outside the Shepherd system, and even from out of state, to learn more about specialized MS care, resources, and research.

Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, volunteered, and helped make this inaugural event such a success.

A special thank you to our sponsors, partners, and advocates whose support helped make this event possible, including Kristine Werner Ozug, Genentech, Biogen, TG Therapeutics, Bioness Medical, Exokinetics/Zeen, Evolution Devices, Advantage Homecare, Thermapparel, and our partner, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

10/13/2026

One morning, Joe Owens was walking across his living room floor when he suddenly lost feeling in his legs. At first, he and his wife, Penny, thought it might be sciatica. But when he wasn't getting better, Penny took him to a local hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Joe was transferred to the Nashville location on April 11 for additional testing.

After days of testing, Joe and Penny still didn't have answers, but eventually, they learned Joe experienced a spinal stroke. Their daughter-in-law, who works at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, encouraged them to consider Shepherd Center. Just days later, they received a call: a bed had opened at Shepherd.

After the four-and-a-half-hour trip to Atlanta, Joe and Penny immediately noticed what made Shepherd special.

"My first nurse said she had been at Shepherd for 44 years, and that says something to me," Joe recalls.

Then came another surprise. While recovering on the fourth floor, Joe was visited by Jamie Shepherd, MBA, MHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Shepherd Center.

"That's unheard of. For a CEO to even be seen at the hospital, let alone visit a patient's room," Joe says.

For the Owens family, it wasn't just one interaction that stood out. It was the conversations with Jamie Shepherd, Alana Shepherd, nurses, therapists, physicians, peer supporters, and other staff members who made them feel like they were amongst family.

Living several hours from Atlanta, Joe and Penny were grateful for Shepherd's donor-supported family housing, which allowed Penny to remain nearby throughout Joe's rehabilitation. With Shepherd's support, they tackled the challenges of returning home. When therapists learned that their antique bed at home was too high for Joe, they helped them find a different mattress. When Joe needed a different vehicle that would allow him to transfer safely, his therapy team worked with Penny at the dealership and brought the car to the parking garage to practice transfers, ensuring the vehicle would meet his needs.

The support extended beyond therapy sessions. While an inpatient at Shepherd, Joe celebrated his 65th birthday surrounded by staff who made the day special.

As Joe progressed through rehabilitation, one phrase kept coming to mind.

"This is the hospital of love."

Today, Joe is back home, back at church, and enjoying many of the activities that matter most to him. He no longer relies on a Hoyer lift, has gained greater independence, and has even modified his kitchen so he can continue doing one of his favorite things: cooking.

For Joe and Penny, Shepherd Center wasn't just a place to receive care. It was a place that helped them find hope, community, and a path forward.

10/12/2026

This October, we're celebrating Physical Therapy Month and the therapists who help patients after injury or illness.

From first steps and floor transfers to returning home, crossing the graduation stage, and more, our physical therapists help patients build strength, confidence, and independence so they can return to a life full of hope.

At Shepherd Center, physical therapy is about partnering with patients to overcome challenges, achieve meaningful goals, and support daily life.

Join us this month to celebrate the impact of physical therapy and recognize the dedicated physical therapists who make it possible—because every movement forward is worth celebrating.

10/09/2026

Before his accident, Cesar Perez, originally from El Salvador, says he was in the best shape of his life. His acting career was gaining momentum. He had starred opposite Daniel Radcliffe in Beast of Burden and just wrapped filming The 15:17 to Paris with Clint Eastwood.

Then, during MLK weekend, while driving on I-16 to visit family in Savannah, a drunk driver traveling 76 mph crashed into him head-on. Moments later, a semi-truck collided with the vehicles. Cesar coded three times at the scene and two more times after being airlifted to the hospital. He sustained a traumatic brain injury and severe injuries throughout his body.

"My face looked like they crushed a mango," he says.

The aftermath was devastating, not only for Cesar but also for his family. As the youngest sibling and only son, they suddenly found themselves facing an uncertain future.

It wasn't until someone at the hospital recommended Shepherd Center that Cesar and his family discovered a new source of hope.

"It was just an oasis in the middle of my family's storm."

At Shepherd, Cesar and his family began to believe that a second chance was possible. Adjusting to a new normal wasn't easy, but he credits the staff for supporting both him and his loved ones every step of the way.

"From the therapists to the doctors to the nurses, they all took into account my and my family's situation."

Before his injury, Cesar played five different instruments. His care team incorporated music into his recovery, and he especially remembers working with his speech therapist, Deborah Vega. More than anything, he remembers the compassion and empathy he experienced throughout his time at Shepherd Center.

"The therapy was aggressive, but in a way that I needed," he says.

Even after graduating from inpatient rehabilitation, Cesar continued pursuing different therapies and underwent more than 30 procedures to reconstruct his face and repair his body.

Today, he's using the same storytelling skills that fueled his career in film to tell a different story – his own. Cesar has documented his recovery journey, interviewing EMS personnel, surgeons, therapists, family members, and even revisiting court proceedings connected to the crash that changed his life.

Now, he's sharing his story with the world in hopes of inspiring others living with disabilities and showing what's possible after injury.

His story is a powerful reminder that even after life's darkest moments, hope is always there.

10/08/2026

Recently, Shepherd Center's Recreation Therapy Program took a group of patients to vroom around the racetrack and spent an unforgettable day immersed in motorsports at Motul Petit Le Mans.

Patients Marvyn Gonzalez, Anthony "AJ" Johnson, Spencer Aubel, and Cody McGinty had the opportunity to visit the track, enjoy lunch at the Apex Café, watch races from trackside, tour team paddocks, and meet drivers and racing professionals. The group got a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to compete on race day.

For many patients, outings offer chances to reconnect with the community, explore new interests, build confidence, and practice navigating different areas with mobility devices, all while having a good time.

A special thank you to Aaron Nash, driver coach and owner of Crucial Motorsports Group, as well as the racing teams and staff who welcomed our group and helped make the day a memorable experience.

We're also grateful to our recreation therapy team, including Colby Higgins, CTRS; Korynn Duke, PT; Valerie Miller, CTRS; and Curtis Gaither, for helping make opportunities like this possible.

10/05/2026

After sustaining a traumatic brain injury and breaking 31 bones in a car accident, Mariana Fortner spent three months at Shepherd Center rebuilding her life. At the time, her daughter was just two years old. Now four, she still remembers the time she spent at Shepherd and even asks to come back and visit.

When Mariana first arrived at Shepherd Center, she dreaded being here. She remembers feeling like it was the worst thing that could have happened. Looking back now, she sees the countless hours and hard work that went into her recovery.

"They don't just save your life. They give you your life back," she says.

Following her injury, she was dependent on others. She couldn't feed herself, brush her own hair, or care for her daughter the way she desired. Through inpatient rehabilitation and later Shepherd Pathways, she regained the skills and confidence she needed to return to her role as a mother.

She remembers being terrified during the simplest moments. When staff repositioned her in bed to relieve pressure, she was convinced she would fall. With both femurs broken and pain throughout her body, every movement felt overwhelming.

One person who stands out is her physical therapist, Jacqueline.

"She was the most patient person with me."

Whether working through therapy sessions or walking in the ZeroG system while she feared she might fall and hit her head, Jacqueline, physical therapist, Hannah, occupational therapist, Amy, speech therapist, and the rest of her care team met her fears with patience and reassurance.

They never dismissed her concerns. They worked with her until she felt safe and capable.

Most importantly, they helped her become herself again.

"They looked at me and made me feel like a person, even though I didn't feel like myself."

At Shepherd Center, hope is finding your way back to yourself and your loved ones.