Shepherd Center

Project Rollway is one of our most anticipated events of the year. It’s a night where our staff, patients, families, donors, and volunteers come together to celebrate our incredible adolescent patients.

After sustaining a traumatic injury or navigating an illness, finding the confidence to be yourself again can be one of the most difficult parts of recovery, and this night is all about reclaiming that sense of self.

It’s more than a fashion show. It’s a moment when these young individuals take the stage and rediscover their confidence.

Join us on June 26 as our patients take the rollway, transform into models, and embrace the spotlight. Help us cheer them on as they model the latest fashion.

We can't wait to see you there. Click the link below today to purchase your tickets.

https://donate.shepherd.org/event/project-rollway-2026/e780619

People who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic or stressful event are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Veterans, service members, and first responders who have served our country and in our communities are among the most vulnerable. Some soldiers have described feelings of PTSD as constantly on the edge or on the verge of anger, feeling detached from the world, or reliving the past. Survivors have also acknowledged experiencing thoughts of self-harm.

Since 2007, Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative has provided evidence-based rehabilitation for military veterans, service members, and first responders who are ready to accept help and healing for their daily struggle with traumatic brain injuries and mental health concerns, including PTSD.

June is PTSD Awareness Month, and we want to give those who are dealing with silent battles hope for a path forward. With the right action plan, we can accomplish anything.

Hope sometimes looks like putting on a prom dress and dancing with friends.

Imagine winning prom queen in your 60s surrounded by supportive peers. That's what happened when Ingrid attended our MS Wellness Program's first-ever prom. She loved how beautiful everything was and was astonished that she won prom queen.

It was an awesome afternoon filled with patients mostly in their 50s-70s who have multiple sclerosis (MS). They were able to cut a rug and put on their Sunday’s best, like Franklin, who wore a purple hat and purple vest and campaigned for prom King.

People like Phyllis want to do more events like this, saying she wants to do one every year because it's a nice event with peers she feels comfortable with, and she also likes to dance. She's hoping for a Fourth of July barbecue, too.

Our MS Wellness team knows that living with MS is easier when you’re part of a supportive community. Through games, arts and crafts, and group get-togethers like prom, they help people with MS build meaningful connections with others who understand their journey.

YaMya loved that everyone came, got all dressed up, looked good, and felt good. “It's a beautiful day. I'm so glad they allowed us to have this.”

After sustaining a C3-C5 spinal cord injury (SCI), a sly sense of humor has been a key ingredient in Tristan Thompson's rehabilitation. Every year, Tristan, 19, and his dad leave San Antonio, Texas, to go mountain biking in Bentonville, Arkansas. On July 2, 2025, Tristan went down a significant drop where he says he braked too late and was flung over his handlebars. Following his injury, he was life-flighted to Mercy Hospital Springfield in Springfield, Missouri.

After 22 days, he was transferred to Shepherd’s ICU for specialized treatment, with his mom, Jennifer, by his side. His level of injury limited his movement from the neck down, and when he first arrived at Shepherd, he required assistance from a ventilator and tracheostomy to breathe.

“We got to Shepherd, and they immediately had him sitting up out of bed and began motivating him,” Jennifer explains. “He even had a welcoming crew of kids who were patients. They wheeled into his ICU room, introduced themselves and their injuries, and talked about what they had gotten back so far. It was very uplifting.”

After moving from the ICU, Tristan participated in a number of therapies; the most impactful, he recalls, was electrical stimulation, which was applied over the spinal column to activate his muscles. His team helped him use a tilt table to regulate his fluctuating blood pressure. And they did speech therapy with breathing exercises, which helped him wean off the ventilator a month after arriving at Shepherd. But beyond the focused therapies Tristan received, he appreciated the hospital staff the most, and he showed them that appreciation with his signature sense of sarcasm.

“I didn’t have a problem psychologically at Shepherd because it was so positive there,” Tristan recalls. “We would just make fun of each other and laugh – there was never an awkward moment. And whenever I’d see a therapist from my team working with another patient, I’d make sure to give them crap by reminding them, ‘Hey, that’s my therapist, give her back!’”

On Sept. 22, Tristan was discharged from Shepherd and returned to his hometown in San Antonio. Prior to his injury, Tristan attended college at Texas Tech University with his girlfriend, Paula Brame. Paula stopped attending school in person so she could be there for him, but now the pair plans to return to school together.

To learn more about Tristan's recovery, read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4xjFPku

David Tillem had a stroke when he was just 30 years old. He participated in inpatient rehabilitation at Shepherd Center, followed by outpatient care at Shepherd Pathways and later therapy closer to home. Now, seven years later, he has started a Substack, “The Second First Step,” in which he reflects on how the stroke and rehabilitation at Shepherd Center changed his perspective.

With his permission, we’re sharing two small excerpts of David’s Substack entries below. He said he is glad that sharing his experiences might help someone else.

The 40-Year-Old Head Start: Why My Stroke Was an Unfair Advantage

But here is the “uncomfortable truth” I’ve discovered: that trauma gave me an unfair advantage. While others are just now packing their bags for the challenges of getting older, I am already well-equipped and incredibly prepared for that “second first step”. When that first colonoscopy rolls around, that procedure will be child’s play to me, who has had two open heart surgeries and was once a frequent flier around the Atlanta hospital system. I skipped the “uncomfortable part of life” where you slowly realize you aren’t invincible because that realization was forced on me in an instant. I have already mourned the loss of my “peak” self, and in that mourning, I found a much more resilient version of who I am.

The "Happiest Place on Earth" Is Actually a Rehab Hospital

But looking back with the crystal clarity of 20/20 hindsight, I realize how profoundly fortunate I was that the worst day of my life happened just a few miles from a sanctuary: Shepherd Center.

It’s no wonder people travel from every corner of the Earth, begging for one of the few available spots at this neuro and spinal rehabilitation facility. If you’ve done even surface-level research, you know Shepherd consistently ranks among the global elite.

But what truly inspires this post isn’t just their world-class ranking—it’s the deep debt of gratitude I owe to the people there, and the palpable, unforgettable feeling you get the moment you step inside.

For David's full entries, click the link below.

https://news.shepherd.org/reflections-on-life-after-stroke/

Shepherd Center welcomes neurologist Cole Crowson, M.D., who recently joined the staff of the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute at Shepherd Center.

A graduate of Wake Forest University, Dr. Crowson earned his medical degree from the UAB - The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, followed by a residency in neurology at the University of Virginia Medical Center, and a fellowship in multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He is board-certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

“Shepherd Center has a long-standing commitment to excellence in providing comprehensive, compassionate care with state-of-the-art technology for our patients' benefit,” said Dr. Crowson. “I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the incredible teams here who use compassion, humor, and plenty of elbow grease to improve lives.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Crowson to our team,” said Jacqueline Rosenthal, M.D., medical director of the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute at Shepherd Center. “His compassionate approach and collaborative personality make him a valuable addition. He is dedicated to truly hearing patients’ experiences and staying at the forefront of advances in treatment, which reflects the high standard of care we strive to provide.”

When he’s not at work, Dr. Crowson enjoys dragging friends to concerts, attempting Gordon Ramsay recipes, being a proud uncle to his niece and nephews, entertaining his Greyhound, and getting as much mountain air as possible.

With graduation season here and summer beginning, it’s time to celebrate milestones and new beginnings. School is out, days are longer, and fun is just starting, but making sure our kids get home safely remains the most important thing.

Whether you’re heading to a graduation party, taking a road trip, or relaxing, drive safely. Put your phone away. Slow down. Buckle up. Make responsible choices behind the wheel.

These moments should be filled with celebration — not preventable injuries.

Let’s all encourage our kids and loved ones to drive safely and make responsible choices, so everyone gets home.