Callie Banks was an avid volleyball player competing at the Club Level as well as on the Allen High School volleyball team. On September 21, 2010, while playing in a high school volleyball game, Callie collapsed on the court and had no pulse. Luckily, there was a physician, two trauma nurses, and an off-duty EMT/firefighter among the spectators. CPR was started within seconds and an AED was applied twice by the physician in attendance, then again by the paramedics when they arrived. Callie had been shocked 5 times with the defibrillator before being care-flighted to Children’s Hospital. She spent 10 days in the hospital. Callie was implanted with a dual defibrillator/pacemaker to control her heart arrhythmias.
While in the hospital, many cardiac tests were performed, but doctors did not have a diagnosis. Callie’s parents wanted to find out what was wrong with their daughter, so they requested that more tests be done.
In December 2010 through genetic testing, Callie was diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C). This is a degenerative, incurable form of heart disease. The right ventricle is affected as the heart muscle is replaced with fibrous tissue and this is what triggers the arrhythmia. Once this was determined, Callie was no longer able to participate in competitive sports.
After meeting Callie and hearing her story, Living for Zachary had the privilege of donating an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in honor of Callie to her volleyball gym Madfrog Volleyball in 2010.
In 2014, Callie was awarded the Living for Zachary Academic Scholarship. The Living for Zachary Academic Scholarship helped Callie’s dreams come true! She attended Auburn University where she decided to pursue Nursing.
“I chose Nursing because it is truly a unique and beautiful profession. I have the privilege of taking care of people during some of the most vulnerable and trying times of their lives. I love that Nursing allows me to spend time really getting to know my patients on a personal level. This time allows me to better understand their needs and wants regarding their care and helps me become a better advocate for each patient as an individual,” says Callie.
Callie graduated from Auburn University on August 5, 2018. Soon after, she began working at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Alabama, on the Medical-Surgical floor. On her “rebirthday,” September 21st, Callie found out she passed the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). She is now officially: Callie Banks, RN, BSN. “Receiving the Living for Zachary scholarship was truly a blessing. It helped me fund my lifelong dream of graduating from Auburn University, and for this gift, I am forever grateful,” says Callie.
Callie is currently working at the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
Thank you, Callie, for sharing your story with us and for saving lives every day!