Christine Banks, embalmer at Caldwell and Cowan Funeral Home, completed more than 130 hours of specialized embalming and reconstructive training in Springfield, Missouri recently.

The training, part of Fountain National Academy’s continuing education seminars, is offered to professional embalmers from around the world. Among the seminars Banks attended were talks on: embalming skills, soft tissue injuries, waxing and airbrush cosmetics, advanced post-mortem reconstructive surgery and advanced II postmortem reconstructive surgery.
Each seminar focused on highly specialized embalming techniques and included special surgical techniques that advanced the skill level of participants in area of general and specialized embalming and post-mortem reconstructive surgery techniques on victims of severe traumatic injuries.

In the field of embalming, reconstructive techniques are sometimes necessary to prepare a deceased person who has had severe traumatic and disfiguring injuries.

Fountain National Academy's world headquarters is based in Springfield, Missouri with representatives in Ireland and Australia along with 17 goodwill ambassadors around the world. Founder and instructor Vernie R. Fountain, who is internationally recognized for his expertise in this field, lauded Banks participation in the seminars as a part of her devotion and dedication to her job.