Lenbrook and Shepherd Center Celebrate
Lenbrook and Shepherd Center Celebrate 30 Years of Inspired Connection
Nearly 38 years to the date of her son’s catastrophic spinal cord injury, the co-founder of Atlanta’s world-renowned Shepherd Center — Alana Shepherd — recently shared her family’s story of tragedy, perseverance and triumph to the residents of Buckhead’s landmark retirement community at Lenbrook.
More than 115 residents gathered in Lenbrook’s event center to hear Shepherd’s vision and drive to build a state-of-the-art spinal cord injury hospital in Atlanta in 1975. It’s now among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. Such highly specialized care simply wasn’t available in the Southeast at that time.
“Every injury experience is nothing short of horrific, but Shepherd Center is here to show families there is life after injury,” explained Alana Shepherd. “Shepherd Center is where hope begins again for patients and their families.” Her son James serves as chairman of the board of the Center today.
Hope and recovery at Shepherd Center are often brought about through revolutionary technology — like a tiny tongue piercing and mouth retainer that enable a quadriplegic to drive his wheelchair and work on a computer just by moving his tongue. Or Ekso, a robotic device that allows wheelchair users to stand and walk.
Volunteer Connections From the Heart
More than a dozen residents at Lenbrook formed a “host committee” to sponsor this special “Meet Shepherd” event.
Lenbrook resident June Weitnauer spearheaded the event planning as her love and dedication for the Shepherd Center dates back 30 years. She began volunteering in Shepherd Center’s gift shop in 1982. Before she knew it, she was recruited onto the Auxiliary Board and has continued as a board member and volunteer at the Center ever since. Currently, she’s helping with the Shepherd Center Auxiliary’s largest annual fundraising event, “Pecans on Peachtree,” underway throughout the holiday season.
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Thirty-year volunteer and Lenbrook resident Claire Smith (L) with friend and Shepherd Center’s director of volunteer services Midge Tracy (R). |
Another catalyst on the event committee is Lenbrook resident Claire Smith, who also began volunteering in Shepherd Center’s gift shop in the early 80s. She, over the next 30 years, logged 2,000 volunteer hours at the hospital.
“Claire is a founding life member of our Auxiliary Board,” said Midge Tracy, Director of Volunteer Services at Shepherd Center. “She’s just so much fun to be around and is very special to all of us here at Shepherd.”
“Lenbrook is an active senior community that believes in volunteering in the larger community, engaging with each other, their families and with our neighborhood,” said Felecia Sveda, Vice President of Marketing for Lenbrook. “We listen to our residents and encourage them to take an active role in the events, programs and services offered at Lenbrook.” She explained how the community’s active Residents’ Association works closely with the Lenbrook leadership team to enhance the community’s service and program offerings on an ongoing basis.
Hope Continues
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Lenbrook resident June Weitnauer (R) introduces a fellow community resident to Warren Cleary (Center) just 82 days after his spinal cord injury, |
Lenbrook residents saw hope in action when Shepherd patient Warren Cleary, and his parents Henley and Jerry Cleary, came up to the podium to share their story. An award-winning U.S. Olympic sky diving team member, Cleary punctured his spinal cord during a landing this July, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.
After just 82 days of inpatient and outpatient therapy at Shepherd Center, he’s fast in his wheelchair, drives his own car, and is living independently in an apartment near Shepherd for continued rehabilitation.
Joyful cheers (and some tears) erupted from the audience when Cleary pulled himself up out of his wheelchair and stood on his own, lightly holding onto the podium. And in that moment, Lenbrook residents’ longtime love and support for Shepherd grew that much deeper.
About Lenbrook
Lenbrook is Atlanta’s only nationally accredited, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community. This active senior living community is dedicated to enabling its residents to enjoy the gifts of independence, good health and personal fulfillment through engaging and inspiring programs and services. Its state-of-the-art residences and facilities appeal to the active senior who wants a full range of amenities and services, along with the convenience, security and continuity of excellent on-site healthcare services.
About Shepherd
Shepherd Center, located in Atlanta, is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury and brain injury. Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. Shepherd Center is a 132-bed facility. Last year Shepherd had 913 admissions to its inpatient programs, 535 to its day patient programs and 6,300 served by its outpatient program.