- Story by Toby Tannas Photography by Lia Crowe

There isnB次元官网网址檛 much down time when youB次元官网网址檙e a busy obstetrician/gynecologist in a small but growing community. When Dr. Nicholas Half does have a moment to glance out his corner office window at the picturesque view of Vernon, he canB次元官网网址檛 help but be grateful.

Over the past decade, Nicholas has built a beautiful life and practice in the North Okanagan city, but as a young med student this was not the vision he had for his career.

B次元官网网址淣ot a lot of men have the life dream of being a gynecologist,B次元官网网址� he chuckles. B次元官网网址淐ardiothoracic surgery was my number one choice; orthopaedic surgery was my second choice, and at the top of the list of things I said I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 consider was obstetrics/gynecology.B次元官网网址�

In his third year of medical school, when students started seeing patients on rotation in the hospital, Nicholas quickly ruled out his top two choices for various reasons and kept coming back to obstetrics/gynecology.

B次元官网网址淚t was just one of those things. ItB次元官网网址檚 got the medicine component, itB次元官网网址檚 got patient care, itB次元官网网址檚 a lot of conversation, not all surgery.B次元官网网址�

Ultimately though, it was the patients who cemented his medical future.

B次元官网网址淚 love what I do. Women are very communicative. They show gratitude and thankfulness. ThereB次元官网网址檚 not a lot of specialties in medicine anymore where you hear B次元官网网址榯hank you.B次元官网网址� I hear those words every day.B次元官网网址�

NicholasB次元官网网址� love for the work and his commitment to his patients has recently taken him into a new realm of service: a user-pay procedure thatB次元官网网址檚 rarely offered in a gynecology clinic.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 called the MonaLisa Touch. ItB次元官网网址檚 a non-surgical laser treatment for vaginal dryness, discomfort and irritation.B次元官网网址�

After seeing many women suffer through sexual issues post menopause or after battling diseases like cancer, Nicholas decided to make a significant investment in an option that could improve their quality of life.

B次元官网网址淵ou see cancer patients B次元官网网址� they canB次元官网网址檛 even touch estrogen and they suffer. These are women in their 30s and 40s and their sex life is gone. This is who this machine is for.B次元官网网址�

Regardless of why a patient is referred to his gynecology clinic, sexual health often comes up in conversation. Nicholas believes that when you can do something to improve or make sex more comfortable for a woman, her life and her relationship improve.

B次元官网网址淪ex makes up about five per cent of the relationship when itB次元官网网址檚 good,B次元官网网址� he explains. B次元官网网址淏ut when itB次元官网网址檚 not, or itB次元官网网址檚 absent, it makes up 95 per cent of the relationship.B次元官网网址�

As a male in a field thatB次元官网网址檚 shifting to predominantly female care providers, Nicholas takes pride in the rapport heB次元官网网址檚 developed with his patients.

B次元官网网址淚 think as a doctor you want to be someone a patient can talk to comfortably about whatever they want to talk about, and that feel theyB次元官网网址檙e being respected and listened to.B次元官网网址�

Nicholas is well practiced in communicating with women as heB次元官网网址檚 married with three young daughters.

B次元官网网址淲e have twins. TheyB次元官网网址檙e five years old and we have a three year old. So basically, we have triplets. ItB次元官网网址檚 busy,B次元官网网址� he laughs.

With more than 100 hours dedicated to work in an average week, Nicholas doesnB次元官网网址檛 get to spend as much time with his kids as other dads with 9-to-5 jobs.

B次元官网网址淢y work life and home life balance could always be better; we all struggle with that as physicians. I just try to give them quality time. They just want to be with you, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter if weB次元官网网址檙e playing a game or building a gate.B次元官网网址�

NicholasB次元官网网址� wife, Dr. Aisha Manji, is also a physician. It means she understands first-hand the demands of the job.

Nicholas says, B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 probably the best thing, that understanding. I think even in a small community where youB次元官网网址檙e hoping to have a better lifestyle than the big city, there are still a lot of demands in terms of what you canB次元官网网址檛 miss, what you have to go to battle for, for your patients.B次元官网网址�

The couple will be getting some extra time together over the coming months, though. TheyB次元官网网址檝e committed to dancing in support of the North Okanagan Hospice Society.

B次元官网网址淢y wife has a tie to the palliative community, end of life care. ItB次元官网网址檚 always been one of her passions.B次元官网网址�

Dancing with the Vernon Stars takes place this September. Between now and then, dance practices will become date nights.

B次元官网网址淔or us to spend that extra time together, dancing together will be nice,B次元官网网址� he says with a smile.

The dancing commitment is another weekly appointment in an already very full calendar. But as I sit across from Dr. Half, I get the distinct sense heB次元官网网址檚 the kind of man who can juggle it all and do it well. Family man, physician, and for the next few months, fundraiser and dancer in support of a cause and a community very close to his heart.

B次元官网网址淚 love Vernon. My quality of life is great, IB次元官网网址檝e got great people around me. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about.B次元官网网址�