Doctor spends personal time helping others

Do you have a goal, a secret desire to attain something? Approach your dreams as if you couldn't fail.

That's the philosophy of Summerlin resident Dr. Paul Wilkes. He has accomplished much. In his professional life, Wilkes practices maternal-fetal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology at Desert Perinatal Associates, 5761 S. Fort Apache Road. He has authored several papers on perinatal topics, which were published in respected medical journals.

In his personal life, Wilkes has enjoyed competitive sports -- soccer, triathlon events and skiing.

"In high school, my dad gave me a quote from Teddy Roosevelt ... I carried it in my wallet," he said.

That quote: Keep your eyes on the stars but remember to keep your feet on the ground. It's been guiding him ever since.

Wilkes received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University and earned his Doctor of Medicine and performed post-graduate work in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, where he received numerous honors and awards for academics and research.

"I don't consider failure ... I don't ask, 'What will I sacrifice, be it time, or money or sleep, to achieve a goal?' " he said. "Now, there have been times when I've stepped into something and gone, 'Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?' "

When not at his practice or taking 3 a.m. phone calls from patients in labor, Wilkes is involved with the community. One of his pet organizations is Safe Nest, which provides emergency shelter for women escaping domestic abuse.

Tammy Morrison, recreation coordinator for the children's program at Safe Nest, called him "an angel without wings" for providing Safe Nest clients with low-cost gynecologic and obstetric health care.

When a woman comes to Safe Nest and is pregnant, she's taken for a doctor's appointment. Many women are leery of men, Morrison said. She often accompanies the women to their appointments.

"He walks into the room, and the first thing he says is, 'I'm Dr. Wilkes. Thank you for letting me have your baby,' " she said. "It helps break the ice ... By the time they (the women) leave, they're smiling, laughing."

When the school year was approaching, the doctor wrote a check for $500 so Safe Nest children would have new clothes to wear. He and his office spearheaded a diaper drive last year that resulted in 10,000 diapers being donated.

Besides helping Safe Nest, Wilkes serves on the board of directors for three local foundations. The Patrick Kelley Youth Foundation strives to help underprivileged children build character through educational goals. When a child attains a certain level, he is awarded with a bicycle and a helmet. More than 1,600 new bicycles have been given out to date. High school seniors can receive scholarships to help with college.

The Jump for Joy Foundation is dedicated to fighting childhood obesity and encouraging active healthy lifestyles by sponsoring free fitness camps for local youths. Wilkes helps oversee the program.

"He's a role model in so many ways," said Anthony Alegrete, founder of Jump for Joy. "He's a father, and he's been involved in sports, he's a doctor, and he's a businessman. And besides all that, he's a really nice guy."

Sight for Life helps Nevadans with treatable vision loss who would otherwise not receive care due to a lack of insurance. It was co-founded by a female classmate of Wilkes from medical school.

At first, he helped by being the master of ceremonies at a live auction.

"She said I would be the best person to embarrass people into buying something," he said.

Now, he sits on the board and helps raise funds. The demands on his time, the effort required to be part of a bigger force, are all worth it, Wilkes said.

"It sounds so cliché, but it's true," he said. "When I do any of these things, I always get back more than I give. Always."

These days, Wilkes said his focus is spending time with his three children -- Katie, 16, Ryan, 13 and Charlotte, 7. When they ask him what he wants them to be when they grow up, his one-word answer is always the same: happy.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.