One Saturday morning, Banks was brushing his teeth when his wife, Johanna, noticed a new spot — a freckle? — on his back.

“It had bubbled up a little bit and just didn’t look right,” he recalled. It wasn’t a mole, but as Banks pointed out, “You have to watch freckles, too.”

On Monday morning, Banks bumped into a surgeon — Dr. Eric Mallico — and told him about his concern. They went into an office, and Banks removed his shirt. Mallico took one look and suggested they move quickly.

The spot first noticed on a Saturday was removed — and a sample sent to be biopsied — on Tuesday. Then the results came back on MyChart a few days later.

“I’m telling you: I was not prepared to read what I saw on the screen: Malignant melanoma, Stage 2B.”

Mallico told him he was going to have to do a second, more involved, procedure. This required a wide excision, or removal.

“With melanoma, you’ve got to check the lymph system to see if cancer has infiltrated it,” Banks explained.

Mallico cut four lymph nodes and sent them to pathology.

“It was 3 millimeters deep,” Banks said. “At 4 millimeters, it hits the lymph nodes. So, I missed having (more serious) Stage 3 melanoma by just 1 millimeter.”

Suddenly, the healer needed healing.

“It was crazy to think that I now needed the operating room myself,” he said. “But I know the capabilities of this facility and the staff, and I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else.”

He and Johanna had to miss a trip he’d won to the Turks and Caicos because of his surgery. But their consolation prize was taking off for Banks’ happy place — a camper they keep at the beach.

About nine days after four lymph nodes were removed from his underarms — a torturous time to have to wait — Banks learned his lymph nodes weren’t impacted. “I thought: Praise God. Now I can relax.”

Immunotherapy as insurance

Even though Banks’ lymph nodes were clear, he wasn’t through with treatment.

Mallico told him he’d reduce the risk of recurrence by having immunotherapy, which Banks described as “supercharging your immune system to recognize cancer cells so that your immune system goes after them and kicks them out.” It’s an insurance policy of sorts.

Mallico referred him to oncologist/hematologist Dr. William Brinkley of Novant Health Cancer Institute – Rowan, saying, “He’s who I’d go to.”

“With stage 2B melanoma, the risk of recurrence is 15 percent at the five-year mark and 20 percent at the 10-year mark,” Brinkley said. “Based on Cale’s stage and risk level, I recommended immunotherapy — every three weeks for a year — over the other option, which is simply surveillance.”

He also discussed potential side effects of Keytruda infusions. Inflammation anywhere in the body is a concern, as are colitis, hepatitis, arthritis, dermatitis “and anything else that ends in -itis,” he joked. “It can affect thyroid function, the pituitary gland, electrolytes. In general, though, the risks are small.”

Immunotherapy doesn’t come with the severe side effects chemo can have. Banks experienced no side effects.

And his oncologist made things even easier. “Dr. Brinkley is fantastic,” he said. “He wants to know everything about you. I felt really good about his treatment plan.”

Nevertheless, people encouraged Banks to talk to another doctor — for his own peace of mind. He sought a second opinion in Charlotte, halfway wondering if cancer care in a “big city” would be different from Salisbury. The recommendations were identical, and he was thrilled to get care close to home.

How close? “I just walked across the street” from the hospital, he said.

“The entire staff at the Rowan Cancer Institute is phenomenal,” he added. “I became friends with the folks there. And the facility itself is gorgeous. It’s immaculate. Salisbury may not be Charlotte, and we’re not Atlanta or New York City, but we have the same capabilities.”

Brinkley said that, with some exceptions — such as bone marrow transplants, which aren’t offered at the Rowan Cancer Institute — patients can expect the same care in Salisbury they’d get in Charlotte.

And besides, he added, “Being part of the Novant Health network means cancer patients are getting the best of our collective knowledge. Our tumor board meets regularly to discuss patients from all our markets. So, patients can be physically located anywhere in our region and benefit from oncologists and other specialists from across our network.”

And the center in Rowan County even has some plusses you won’t find everywhere. Individual infusion rooms, for instance.

“When this center was being designed,” Brinkley said, “the staff talked about how important it is to give cancer patients privacy and a sense of security while they’re being treated.”

Banks never dreaded his infusions.

“You can sit in a recliner and watch TV,” he said. “I actually found it relaxing. I’d put some music on in my earphones and take a nap for 30 minutes. And next thing you know, they’re waking me up and I’m done.”

Most nights, he’d go to his bowling league right after the infusion.

Cancer’s aftermath

Banks and his wife love the beach — especially the Caribbean. He used to apply sunscreen at the beginning of the day and not think about it again. “Our last vacation was different,” he said. “I don’t want to be Mr. Tan anymore. I’m the guy with the big, floppy hat who’s reapplying sunscreen every hour.”

Brinkley applauds the new mindset. Melanoma is associated with sun exposure, he said.

Another thing that’s different: Banks will now have a skin exam every year. He’d never needed a dermatologist before. Now, he has a doctor who knows his history and will be vigilant about looking for anything unusual.

He’ll keep seeing Brinkley, too. The oncologist tracks his patients closely after treatment ends. He’ll see Banks every three months for two years. After that, he’ll see him every six months until year five. At that point, Banks will graduate to yearly check-ups.

Does Banks look at surgical patients differently now that he’s been one?

Not really. “We always strive to give everyone the best possible care,” he said. “Everyone’s a VIP here.”