Diana Banks

Imagine for a moment that you are 50 years old, working a 9 to 5 job while raising your eight-year daughter, who is your world and your best friend. Life is good. Then imagine one day not being able to move the right side of your body, unable to speak, unable to work, so many have given up on you, and you have become a stranger to your best friend… your daughter. This is the reality of Diana Banks.


At 50, Diana had a stroke leaving her with no speech and paralysed down the right side of her entire body. Diana had a craniotomy to relieve the pressure off her swollen brain to give her the best opportunity for survival. Diana was placed in ICU for two weeks and then spent a further four weeks in hospital where she was fed through a nasogastric tube.


Diana was moved into the McKellar Centre in Geelong for three months of rehabilitation. While at the Centre, Diana was taught to walk, how to chew and swallow food, as well as speech therapy to help her communicate, even if minimal. During this entire ordeal, Diana was required to wear a helmet to protect her brain from further damage. After rehabilitation Diana was able to move back into her home with some modifications to help support her transition. After being home for three months, Diana had to have another major operation to place a prosthetic piece of skull over her brain. As you could imagine, Diana has become depressed and isolated from the world, moving around her.


However, a few months ago, 60 minutes featured a treatment in America that suggests it can reverse the effects of a stroke. The clinic has approved Diana as being a suitable candidate. The only problem is it's going to cost her over $50,000 for the treatment and accommodation. Any donation would help Diana be a step closer to becoming who she was, getting her life back and most importantly get back to being a mother.