For those who call Hardin County home – you may recognize this name from a local school district, pickleball court, or a community garden. Her talents are wide-reaching and one of her many gifts is making every person feel like someone. This person is Debbie Shepherd, and if she isn’t someone you already know — she is someone you would want to know.
Debbie Shepherd, or Mrs. Shepherd as she’s known by many, describes every day as “a gift.”
Shepherd taught second grade for 25 years at Ada Exempted Village Schools. She would still be teaching today if she could.
Much of her time now is spent in the local community garden, volunteering across Hardin County, walking with her dog, Cody, spending time with her kids and four grandkids, and playing pickleball. Why would someone with so much energy and compassion not be able to teach anymore?
The answer is one word: cancer.
As strong as she appears on the outside, her immune system is weak. Shepherd was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer in 2010 — after years of mounting, unexplained, health issues. She worked in a classroom after all, with young children — of course she was always exposed to different illnesses and germs. But her symptoms became more severe and lingered longer. She knew something wasn’t right. She suffered from severe rashes, headaches, and other debilitating problems.
Shepherd underwent treatment for Mantle Cell Lymphoma. The diagnosis was shocking for her – since she was dedicated to her health and fitness – riding her bike was a weekly routine. She had to travel to Columbus for that treatment.
Eventually she was able to recover and return to teaching. But the cancer came back in 2018 — and it was more aggressive this time. She had to retire from her beloved career. However — that wasn’t the most devastating part of her cancer journey.
At one point she went into a coma. It lasted for weeks.
“I missed my birthday, I missed everything,” she said. “When I woke up, I couldn’t do anything because I had muscle atrophy. I couldn’t hold my phone. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t walk.”
After more than a month in intensive care and eventually a nursing home stay, Shepherd was able to return home. But she wasn’t in the clear yet. In fact – it was the exact opposite.
“That December I remembered hearing, ‘I’m sorry. It just didn’t work.’ Meaning – get your affairs in order, like two to six weeks to survive. My husband and I – we were devastated.”
All of Shepherd’s teacher friends took turns making meals and supporting her as best as they could.
Her health appeared to be fading fast – and she returned to the hospital for another three to four weeks. However – that’s when everything changed, for the better.
“It got better,” Shepherd said. “Almost suddenly, it was like the cancer had disappeared. The doctor said I was an anomaly. God was the only thing that made sense to me. It was a miracle.”
Fast forward to today – Shepherd survived cancer not once, but twice. There’s also a pretty good chance that if you ever see her on the pickleball court – you’d never know it.
But due to her weak immune system, she must receive monthly infusion treatments for the rest of her life. Thankfully – she can get that care close to home at OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital.
“It’s everything to me, being able to get this care close to where I live,” Shepherd said. “Without this, I would spend most of my time driving an hour and a half or more – it would make planning and scheduling my life very difficult. Plus, I love the team here at Hardin Memorial.”
Hardin Memorial Hospital is also where one of her students has gone on to become a nurse. Madisyn Gossard had Mrs. Shepherd in second grade and remembers that time fondly.
“Mrs. Shepherd always showed compassion for her students — not only in the classroom, but outside as well. She and her husband continued to support me and my siblings every year at the Hardin County Fair with our livestock projects,” Gossard said. “My family and I keep in touch with them to this day and she will even be attending my wedding! Mrs. Shepherd could light up any room with her presence. I was so lucky to have her as a mentor and meet her at such a young age.”
Active, engaged, and thankful — that’s Debbie Shepherd today. When Shepherd says every day is a gift, she means it. She is sharing her cancer journey to inspire others to keep on moving.
“I feel like I’m here today sharing what happened because it’s my story to tell others,” Shepherd said. “Have hope. Don’t ever give up.”
