Mission Moment: Giving Back and Looking Forward — The Carlos Family
How one family's generosity has helped shape multiple sclerosis programs at Shepherd Center.
When John Carlos was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at age 28, he kept it a secret for years. But eventually his wife, Elaine Carlos, says, “the cat was out of the bag,” and he couldn’t continue hiding his diagnosis.
His mother, Eula Carlos, pressed him to visit Shepherd Center. She was friends with Alana Shepherd and knew the hospital had innovative treatments and top-notch clinicians. John was reluctant, but eventually, he met with neurologist Ben Thrower, M.D. The two clicked immediately.
“We were so grateful because when John was first diagnosed, there was nothing. There were no drugs, there were no therapies,” Elaine says. “Going from nothing at all to a center that encompasses everything a patient could need . . . it makes all the difference.”
Dr. Thrower and the MS team helped John with his MS symptoms and flare-ups. When Eula’s husband died, she wanted to do something in his honor and give back to the program that helped their son. So, she donated the money to rename the MS Institute to the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute.
The family has continued Eula’s legacy of generosity. John and Elaine supported the start of the Eula C. and Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation and Wellness Program in 2013. The program offers occupational, physical, and speech therapy, exercise classes, community outings, and educational opportunities to help people understand and live well with their MS diagnoses.
The family’s reach at Shepherd extends beyond the MS Institute. John served as a co-chair for the Pursuing Possible campaign, raising money to increase patient access and improve the patient and family experience. Elaine and their daughters, Angela Carlos and Kari Dunn, helped chair the 2022 Legendary Party. Kari is also a member of the Foundation Board of Trustees, and Elaine has been involved in the Shepherd Center Auxiliary.
“I would do anything for Shepherd that’s within my realm,” Elaine says. “They’ve done so much for my family, and for any family in need.”
Written by Erin Kenney
This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025.
With five decades of experience, 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. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.