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Focusing on our Donors

Lives are touched and changed daily because of the special partnership that exists between Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital and our donors.  Our donors are our partners in creating enduring impact for our community.  Each donor has a special story about why they give back.  Sharing their unique stories strengthens our sense of community and inspires us all.

The Family That Gives Together

Close community ties and a mission that is dear to their hearts inspire the Banks and Banks-Todd families to stay involved and give back at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital.

When Katie Banks-Todd joined the Susan B. Allen Memorial Foundation Board in early 2016, not only was she taking the next step in her own philanthropic work, she was honoring a tradition begun by her parents, Michele and John Banks, who have a long history of involvement with the Hospital, the Foundation, the Auxiliary, and promoting the advancement of health care in our communities.

“Our hospital does such a great job of working to keep our community healthy and the Foundation plays a big role in making that happen,” Katie says. “I wanted to become a bigger part of that success and felt I had a lot to offer. That’s why I started working with the Foundation board.”

From Broadway to the Board
While Katie’s local roots run strong—her father, John, was born at SBAMH in 1945—pursuing her dream of music and performing took her far from home.

Moving to New York City, Katie joined the ensemble cast of The Phantom of the Opera and understudied for the role of the show’s diva, Carlotta. Ultimately, she went on to perform many times as the show’s preening soprano on Broadway and on national tour.

“We were so proud of Katie for going and pursuing her dream,” Michele says. “But when it was time to have a family, she knew she wanted to come home.”

Before the birth of her first child, a daughter she named Isabelle, Katie did just that, relocating to El Dorado so she could give birth close to family and in familiar surroundings.

“I didn’t want to give birth in a hospital where I didn’t know the people who were taking care of me and my daughter,” Katie recalls. “I wound up having both of my children, Isabelle and later my son, Benjamin, at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital. It was good to be home.”

Though she may not be in New York any more, Katie finds ways to incorporate music and theater into her every day life. She continues to perform, working with theater and symphony groups in Wichita, and is passing on her love of performance and music to others as director of the El Dorado High School drama program. She even established her own performing arts studio—the KBT Studio of the Performing Arts—to support the dreams of young performers.

“I really want to show the children in my programs that it’s a big world out there,” Katie says. “There are a lot of very talented performers here. I’m from here and I got to live my dream. Opening their eyes to the variety of opportunities, people and cultures there are might just help them to find their dreams too.”

Though performing, teaching, and raising her two children with her husband, Patrick Todd, may sound like a full schedule, Katie still makes time to be involved at the Hospital, attend annual events such as the Foundation Gala, and serve her community from the Foundation board.

She credits her commitment to giving back in a large way to the inspirational examples set by both of her parents.

Giving—A Family Legacy
Katie’s parents, Michele and John, are no strangers to SBAMH or to giving back. Her father is a former Hospital Trustee, and her mother served on the Hospital Auxiliary during the push to fund the development of the Gladys Wiedemann Health Education Center, located on the Susan B. Allen campus.

“The Hospital is one of the anchors of our community,” Michele says. “It employs so many wonderful people and serves our town in a way that is both advanced and personal. Our doctors are our neighbors. And just like you would help a neighbor, supporting the Hospital just seems natural.”

Though they do not currently serve on any boards or committees, the Banks family continues to support the Foundation’s fundraising programs and attend events such as the annual Gala, where they bid on items in the silent auction every year.

“I do think Katie sees what she’s doing as a continuation of the work we’ve done, and it’s great to see her getting so involved,” Michele says. “Hopefully this is something that will continue down through the next generation, to Isabelle and Benjamin, when they see how hard their mother works and how important the Hospital is to our entire family.”

Does giving back inspire your family? Click here to learn more about the important work being done by the SBAMH Foundation.

720 W. Central El Dorado KS 67042.  (316) 321-3300