For Katie Fancher, 35, being a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) at Selma Family Care is more than a job, it’s a calling that found her when her sights were set elsewhere and, simultaneously, when she was enduring one of the most frightening times in her life.

Fancher went into college planning to be a journalist – with nearly all of her requirements met for a degree, she fell ill and was hospitalized.

“During this very frightening time, I was fortunate enough to have one nurse who truly went above and beyond the call of duty,” Fancher said. “She took the extra time to do the small things, but her caring spirit had a huge impact on me regaining my strength.”

It was during this time that Fancher realized she was being called in a different direction and she immediately began working on a nursing degree at Troy University and working as a Patient Care Technician at a nearby hospital.

After finishing her degree, Fancher worked as a floor nurse for several years before becoming one of the charge nurses.

“The challenges I faced in each role gave me a drive to want to do more in my career,” Fancher said. “It gave me a deep passion to be a positive leader in my workplace and my community. Growing from the bottom up helped me gain a higher level of understanding and respect for my current role as a CRNP.”

Just about the time she was getting ready to finish courses to become a Nurse Practitioner, Fancher met her husband, Bryan – today, the couple have a daughter, Blair.

“He has always been so understanding, encouraging and has supported my dreams from day one,” Fancher said of her husband. “HE is also such a great husband and father to our daughter. I am one lucky lady.”

While her husband has provided her with invaluable support during her pursuit to make a career of serving others, Fancher points to her mother and father as the ppeople who have had the biggest impact on the direction of her life.

“My father taught me what it means to be a leader,” Fancher said. “He has done everything in his life with integrity. He sometimes has to be tough with those he manages, but he also understands the importance of compassion. He taught me that effective leadership is not about your title or power, but about how you treat others.”

“My mother taught me about patience and what it really means to love others,” Fancher continued. “She taught me to treat everyone with love and dignity, because you never know what trials others are facing.”

Today, Fancher revels in the fact that her job allows her the freedom to be home with her daughter, noting that it allows her to fulfill her goals of being a leader while simultaneously realizing her dream of being a mother.

“As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I am able to build relationships with my patients and work with them to improve their overall health and sense of well-being,” Fancher said. “It is incredibly rewarding to know that what I do actually makes an impact for the good in other people’s lives. I feel like I am able to have the perfect balance and I am very grateful for that privilege.”