The James M. Cox Foundation Announces $500,000 Grant to Shepherd Center

Grant supports expansion of medical facilities and purchase of MRI equipment

ATLANTA, Aug. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The James M. Cox Foundation announced a $500,000 grant to Shepherd Center, which is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this month. The grant will support a capital campaign to expand the organization's lab and pharmacy, as well as help purchase new MRI equipment.

The new MRI equipment features a technology that is especially important for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, allowing doctors to identify brain lesions earlier.

"New space, new technologies, new equipment means better efficiency and enhanced patient care. This is what we must do, and now is when we must do it," said Shepherd Center's Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board James H. Shepherd, Jr. "The grant from the James M. Cox Foundation will help us accomplish this important work."

Shepherd Center is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, MS, chronic pain and other neurological conditions. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top 10 rehabilitation hospitals, Shepherd Center serves more than 6,600 people annually on an outpatient basis. In 2014, the organization had 965 admissions to its spine and brain inpatient programs and 571 to its day patient programs.

"Health is a focus area for the James M. Cox Foundation, and we're fortunate to have Shepherd Center, one of the nation's top rehabilitation hospitals, in Atlanta," said Alex Taylor, Cox Enterprises' Executive Vice President and great-grandson of company founder James M. Cox. "I'm particularly excited about their plans for new early detection technology and improved rehabilitation facilities."

The James M. Cox Foundation has a history of supporting health-related organizations and research in Atlanta, including neurology research at the Marcus Autism Center and Alzheimer's research at the Emory School of Medicine.

As a company, Cox Enterprises is serving as a platinum sponsor of Shepherd Center's 2015 Legendary Party, which will benefit patient programs. The company also provides comprehensive health and wellness benefits for its employees, including free annual health screenings and personal coaching, as well as weight loss and smoking cessation programs.

About the James M. Cox Foundation 
The James M. Cox Foundation is named in honor of Cox Enterprises' founder and provides funding for capital campaigns and special projects in communities where the company operates. James M. Cox was Ohio's first three-term governor and the 1920 Democratic nominee for president of the United States.

The Foundation concentrates its community support in several areas, including: conservation and environment; early childhood education; empowering families and individuals for success; and health.

About Shepherd Center
Shepherd Center is the nation's largest nonprofit hospital devoted to research, intensive medical care, rehabilitation, and advocacy for people with spinal cord injury & disease, brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, and chronic pain. Over the past 40 years people have come to Shepherd Center from all 50 states and over 50 foreign countries seeking world class care for their unique injuries or illnesses.

SOURCE The James M. Cox Foundation

For further information: James M. Cox Foundation: angela.wasmer@coxinc.com; Shepherd Center: Jane Sanders, jane_sanders@shepherd.org