Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation.
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Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. Shepherd Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital devoted to the medical care and rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury and disease, a

cquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular problems. Shepherd Center is a 152-bed facility and annually admits about 900 people to its inpatient programs and 540 people to its day patient programs. In addition, Shepherd Center sees more than 7,300 people annually on an outpatient basis.

Whether you're thinking about college, exploring a certification program, or ready to hit the next milestone in your car...
09/03/2026

Whether you're thinking about college, exploring a certification program, or ready to hit the next milestone in your career, Shepherd Center’s College and Career Fair is designed to help you connect with the people, programs, and opportunities that can help shape your future.

Meet with representatives from colleges and universities, learn about degree programs, technical training, continuing education opportunities, and discover the resources available to help you reach your goals.

Confirmed schools:
• Chattahoochee Technical College
• Kennesaw State University
• Mercer University

Looking for your next job opportunity? Connect with employers from a variety of industries, learn about current openings, and explore resources to support your career journey.

Confirmed employers:
• The Home Depot
• Genuine Parts Company
• Ameris Bank
• Brasfield & Gorrie
• McKinney's
• Sunbelt

🗓 Friday, September 25, 2026
⏰ 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
📍 Shepherd Center, 7th Floor Auditorium

Don't forget to bring your resume!

Register today and discover what’s next.

Even in the face of adversity, love wins.Recently, the Spinal Cord Injury Day Program C Team surprised Norma and Thomas ...
09/02/2026

Even in the face of adversity, love wins.

Recently, the Spinal Cord Injury Day Program C Team surprised Norma and Thomas Elkin for their 46th wedding anniversary, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. The couple was overwhelmed with emotion as staff and patients came together to celebrate their special day.

Thomas was originally Norma’s brother's college roommate. Although both were dating other people at the time, they became friends and spent more time together. Eventually, that friendship grew into something more. Norma recalls not realizing he was interested until someone asked who he was, and she introduced him as "my brother's roommate." Thomas quickly let her know he hoped to be known as much more than that.

The two dated for about a year before getting married, and while they're celebrating 46 years of marriage, Thomas says they've been together for 51 years because he counts the day they first met.

Big shout-out to Day Program C Team for making this amazing couple’s anniversary special.

We are incredibly grateful to the Kirby Smart Family Foundation for its generous contribution through this year's Kirby ...
08/31/2026

We are incredibly grateful to the Kirby Smart Family Foundation for its generous contribution through this year's Kirby Smart Family Foundation Annual Giving Day. In addition to receiving a grant, Shepherd Center was honored to be selected as one of eight organizations awarded additional funding.

These funds will directly support our adolescent Recreation Therapy Program, helping young patients build confidence, discover new possibilities, and reconnect with the activities that bring them joy throughout their recovery journey.

A special thank you to Georgia Bulldogs football coach Kirby Smart, the Kirby Smart Family Foundation, and UGA Athletics for investing in the next generation and creating opportunities that make a lasting impact on the lives of our patients and families.

Our own Jamie Shepherd, Shepherd Center CEO and UGA alumnus, was thrilled to help celebrate with two signed hats from Coach Smart alongside co-founder Alana Shepherd.

Thank you for helping us continue to provide experiences that inspire hope, foster independence, and remind our adolescent patients that their futures remain bright.

To everyone who has followed, shared a story, left a comment, celebrated a victory, or championed our mission along the ...
08/31/2026

To everyone who has followed, shared a story, left a comment, celebrated a victory, or championed our mission along the way – we thank you.

Every follow is more than a number. It helps us share stories of hope, raise awareness about disability, connect people with resources, and highlight what's possible.

Because of you, more people are learning about Shepherd Center, the patients and families we serve, and the life-changing work happening here every day.

Here's to 50,000 followers and the community that makes our mission stronger with every click, share, and follow.

Thank you for helping us spread hope.

Hope looks like traveling across the country to discover all that’s possible.In partnership with the Jack Trottier Found...
08/28/2026

Hope looks like traveling across the country to discover all that’s possible.

In partnership with the Jack Trottier Foundation and the National Ability Center, Shepherd alumni Cecil and Joel spent several days in the Utah mountains experiencing adaptive cycling, waterskiing, kayaking, pickleball, target practice, and more.

The experience challenged in multiple ways. For Cecil, it meant navigating a new environment and embracing every opportunity. “Navigating the place, especially in a wheelchair. There were a lot of hills and ramps, but I figured it out and asked for help.”

For Joel, it meant taking on new adventures and discovering new possibilities. “Getting onto the ski from the boat, I was like, how the heck are we gonna do that?”

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway came from the connections they made along the way. As Cecil reflected, “you should definitely experience something like this camp. Try something new and get a different perspective on things you can do…you feel like you can do anything and that you’re not the only one.”

Thank you to the Jack Trottier Foundation, the National Ability Center, and all of the volunteers who make experiences like this possible. Together, we're helping people explore new opportunities, build community, and discover that life after injury can still be full of adventure.

Read the full blog to learn more about Cecil and Joel’s experience and see firsthand how hope comes to life through adaptive recreation.

Josh Russo describes his life as cascading. After 21 years in special operations for the U.S. Army, he was dealing with ...
08/27/2026

Josh Russo describes his life as cascading. After 21 years in special operations for the U.S. Army, he was dealing with neuropathy so debilitating in his leg that he had to use a wheelchair and was experiencing depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations.

“I felt out of control, like I was on a speeding train that I couldn’t get off,” Josh says. “It made me self-isolate and not want to be around anyone, including my family.”

On the recommendation of a nurse case manager, he came to Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative in November 2024.

“I had been trying to get help,” Josh remembers, “but nothing was working. I wasn’t sure SHARE would either.”

Josh found hope at SHARE. He spent eight weeks working on pain management, physical mobility, and regulating his emotions. Physical therapy helped with the neuropathy, as well as some chronic neck and shoulder pain he had as a result of several military deployments. He worked with a neuropsychologist on his emotional issues.

By the end of the program, Josh had achieved the three goals he had set: to better understand his symptoms and why he was experiencing them, to show up more at home, and to build a life beyond the military.

Josh says one of the most helpful things was having his wife and three children come to Shepherd during his treatment so they could all learn about what he was experiencing and ways they could help each other.

“We all came away with a better understanding of my symptoms and ways we could work as a team in managing everything,” he says.

In March 2025, Josh retired from active duty and began consulting. Though he calls himself a “work in progress,” he is better equipped to manage pain, stay connected, and keep moving forward.

“SHARE allowed me to step back and understand what was happening and identify clear pathways to navigate through it,” Josh says. “I had never encountered that level of care and client-focused continuity of care that I experienced there. It’s a world-class program.”

🐾 Happy National Dog Day to some of our hardest-working team members!Shepherd Center’s facility and therapy dogs – Beta,...
08/26/2026

🐾 Happy National Dog Day to some of our hardest-working team members!

Shepherd Center’s facility and therapy dogs – Beta, Colin, Hokie, Jaxx, Pippy, Poet, Steffi, Tex, and TopGun – provide comfort, encouragement, hope, and motivation as patients and families navigate rehabilitation after a life-changing injury or illness. Our facility pups know up to 40 commands that help facilitate independence for our patients.

Whether they're helping reduce stress, supporting therapy sessions, or offering a reassuring presence and a touch of home, these incredible dogs and their talented human handlers make a meaningful difference every day.

Help us celebrate by wishing them a happy National Dog Day or sharing your favorite facility or therapy dog story in the comments! ❤️🐶

Whether you're newly diagnosed, have been living with multiple sclerosis for years, or are supporting a loved one with M...
08/25/2026

Whether you're newly diagnosed, have been living with multiple sclerosis for years, or are supporting a loved one with MS, we invite you to join us for Shepherd Center's Multiple Sclerosis Symposium: Knowledge for Every Journey on September 23.

This free event is shaped to be much more than a symposium. It's a place to learn, connect, and find community in a safe and welcoming environment.

Throughout the day, MS experts will share the latest treatment options, cutting-edge research, rehabilitation strategies, and insights into the future of MS care, helping you feel informed and empowered.

"Our goal is for the symposium to expose people, regardless of where they are in their journey, to that information," says Jana Candia, OTR/L, therapy manager for the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute.

But this day isn't just about information. It's also about connection.

"At the symposium you'll get information, but you'll also get community," says Rebecca Duguid, PT, DPT, program manager for the MS Institute.

Whether you're looking for answers, resources, support, or simply the opportunity to connect with others who understand what you're experiencing, you're welcome to join us.

📆 September 23

📍Shepherd Center | Atlanta, GA

💵 Free to attend (including parking)

🥪 Breakfast and lunch are provided

Join us for a day of hope. Register today through the link in our bio.

While getting ready for Thanksgiving in 2020, Teona Osborne suddenly could not move her legs. “I was terrified and confu...
08/25/2026

While getting ready for Thanksgiving in 2020, Teona Osborne suddenly could not move her legs. “I was terrified and confused.”

Teona was rushed to Wellstar Cobb Hospital. Despite many tests there was no clear cause of paralysis came to light. Teona even saw a neurologist at Emory University Hospital, and again, testing came back normal.

“The theory was that COVID had affected my spine, but they couldn’t say for sure,” Teona says. “Life had changed for me in an instant...But I have two kids who rely on me, so I went into survival mode.”

Determined not to let anything slow her down, she was referred to Shepherd for specialized care. Teona knew she needed to get her body as strong as possible and learn to drive while using a wheelchair, so she started Shepherd’s Driving Evaluation and Rehabilitation Program.

Teona passed the driving test and traded her large truck for a smaller car so it would be easier to get in and out. Getting the car made a huge difference in her day-to-day life.

“Being able to drive allowed me to go back and finish college. I graduated in December 2025 with a bachelor’s in education,” Teona says.

Through physical therapy and exercise at Shepherd Center’s ProMotion Fitness Center, Teona has learned more about what her body is capable of.

“I feel stronger and way more independent,” she says. “The Shepherd team worked around my school schedule, especially my main therapist, Drew Oswald. They wanted me to graduate. I’d be working out, and my therapist would help with my homework. They saw the whole me, not just the patient me.”

Teona has accomplished so much since 2020, but she isn’t stopping anytime soon. Her next big goal: get an accessible minivan and find a full-time teaching job.

Teona is determined to make her goals a reality, and she encourages others to do the same.

“I’m strong-minded. I tell my students, if Ms. T didn’t give up, you can’t either! Now I say that to everybody. Keep pushin’.”

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2020 Peachtree Road NW
Atlanta, GA
30309

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