By SANDRA THAMES / Community Columnist

Cara Stanchio was born in Simmern, Germany while her dad was stationed there with the Air Force.

Raised in the Theodore area of Mobile County in South Alabama, she grew up going to the beach, deep sea fishing, tubing and knee boarding on the river and mud riding on four wheelers.

For several years she was a cheerleader for Cheer Force One.

Later she coached at High Fly Cheerleading while living in Huntsville, Ala.  Stanchio is the daughter of Thomas and Lara Powell.

She has a younger sister Hailee, who is 17.

After graduating from high school at Faith Academy in Mobile, Ala., she attended Faulkner State Community College in Fairhope, Ala., and then completed her education at Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound in Mobile in June of 2012.

Stanchio worked at a Huntsville hospital for one year to start her career.

Taking a job with Cardiovascular Associates in Birmingham brought her to our area and she was employed there for over three years.

She now is employed by Heart South Cardiovascular Association and presently drives from Millbrook, Ala., to the Alabaster location.

She says as soon as Hearth South opens offices in Clanton, Ala., she will move to that location.

Her husband, Daniel Stanchio, is from Millbrook and their family consists of Braxton, age 5, Asher, age 2, and Carson who is three months old.

Stanchio says, “I am a Cardiovascular Ultrasound Technologist. (The Ultrasound gives the doctor input which is essential in making a correct diagnosis.) I look at the heart, veins and arteries of the body. I really enjoy what I do as I feel that I am able to save lives every day by alerting patients to life-threatening situations like blocked arteries, clots in the veins and faulty functioning heart valves.”

She says that patients who appreciate the test and thoroughness of her work really make her day when they thank her or make an appreciative remark.

To be a lead technologist (wider range of experience and knowledge) is one of her goals for the future.