Connie Thomas examines a patient at the Community HealthCare Clinic in Canton which serves, primarily, the Hispanic community, the underinsured and uninsured, and Medicaid and PeachCare clients.

For years nurse practitioner Connie Thomas worked for WellStar Health Systems in an affluent area of Cobb County. But life had other ideas for her.

After enduring a series of personal tragedies in an 18-month period, Thomas felt she needed to re-evaluate her life, she said.

So in January 2004, as a result of her soul search, Thomas opened the Community HealthCare Clinic in downtown Canton. The clinic was created to serve, primarily, the Hispanic community, the underinsured and uninsured, and Medicaid and PeachCare clients.

Thomas operates the clinic as a nurse practitioner, working under protocols with Dr. Jacob Ward of Woodstock. This means that "I'm not alone out there," she said. "I consult with Dr. Ward every day."

The clinic is a calling she feels "God placed in my heart."

"I went to the mountains for solitude, " Thomas said. "And this was laid in my heart to do . . . . The idea, at first, surprised me, and it's become a passion for me to serve these people."

When she came down out of the mountains, she got to work on her plan. She found an old mill house on Canton's Main Street. It was a perfect location, within walking distance of three Latino communities and on the bus line.

"We found out it was cheaper to buy than to rent," she said. "The house was in terrible shape. I'd get up at 5:30 every morning, working to get it ready, and I'd fall into bed at night."

Most of the furnishings and decor were donated by community organizations or individuals, Thomas said. The result is a lovely little bungalow, with a welcoming front porch. The waiting room feels like a family room, with polished hardwood floors, bright colors on the walls and comfy chairs and sofas.

"Part of our vision is to provide quality health care in a comfortable, home-like environment," Thomas said."Hispanic people, especially, have to have a big level of trust - to feel that they are understood and well-respected. We try to create a comfort level."

To that end, Thomas' two employees, receptionist Marivel Richter and certified medical assistant Brenda Vazquez, both are fluent in Spanish. Thomas also speaks Spanish, though not as well, she said. Many members of the community volunteer their services at the clinic, and twice weekly, Thomas trains student nurse practitioners from area schools.

Thomas said the patient population she serves is about 60 percent Hispanic. Patients come from as far away as Doraville. Many of her patients are referred to the clinic by agencies such as MUST Ministries, Cherokee County Violence Center and the Department of Family and Children Services.

Thomas sees patients from 2-year-olds to adults. The clinic has a small lab and can do most lab tests or send them out to be done.

Thomas has been so successful with her clinic that she's been asked to write a column about nurse practitioner entrepreneurs for Clinician News, a professional journal for nurse practitioners.

She's also in the process of writing a book entitled, "A Nurse Practitioner's Journey to Entrepreneurship."

"I'm just so intense and passionate about what we're doing here," she said. "When you love what you're doing, it's so different. It's wonderful."