1. PREVIEW
TORONTO
FASHION WEEK
ENTREPRENEURS
HAVE YOU ANSWERED
THE 4 BRUTAL Q’S?
REVIEW:
THE BOY IN THE MOON
FROM THE WEST SIDE
TO THE EAST COAST
A SANGRIA
DIANNE CARMICHAEL
on her career, family, and beating the odds
RECIPE THAT’LL MAKE
YOUR MOUTH DANCE
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

2. PROFILE
DIANNE CARMICHAEL
important to her, she married her options, and provides one-on-one personal-
high school sweetheart Colin, is the ized support; all without the member having to
proud mother of Jason and Amanda, leave home, the treating physician, or support
and is Marion Leyland’s daughter. system. It’s available through employee bene-
This also firmly wedges her in fits plans, attached to some insurance products,
the middle of what demographers Visa cards, or directly online.
call the Sandwich Generation. I’m proud of our universal health care
Here is Dianne’s story in her system, which provides equal access to every
own words… Canadian. But I know, with a growing and
In 2004 my dad was diagnosed ageing population, that our system is overbur-
with cancer. I’d had a successful dened. I worry about my children, my parents,
career with lots of high-profile and my husband. I worry about everyone faced
business contacts, yet I have never with illness.
been so totally unprepared for Last summer we faced another health crisis,
anything in my life. The respon- this time with my Mom. It reinforced my deci-
sibility for making life-and sion. My mother is an amazing role model. She
-death health decisions was over- truly pioneered the way for women in busi-
whelming. I vowed never to be ness – a model who rose to become president
Meet Dianne Carmichael, President of unprepared again. of Max Factor and later Revlon – all at a time
Best Doctors Canada, mother, daughter, During the last three days of Dad’s life, I dis- when few women reached the top echelons of
Baby Boomer, and member of the Sand- connected from the world and sat by his side the corporate world. She has participat-
wich Generation. 24/7 in a small palliative room focusing on his ed in international think-tanks, advising
Dianne has had a high-profile career. She every breath; on the meaning of life; on what’s governments on issues like free trade.
began her marketing and sales career with truly important. That’s when the epiphany She won the cosmetic industry’s
progressively more senior roles at Procter & happened. “Award of Merit” for exemplary contri-
Gamble (P&G), RJ Reynolds (Nabisco), and I didn’t want others to feel alone, scared, bution to industry and community. She
Gillette. She spent 15 years in the financial and unsure the way my dad and I did, or to be is brilliant, beautiful, and successful. A
services sector, first building a top-tier private tortured with doubts about their health care mentor to my kids, she’s the coolest
investment management practice, was then VP decisions. I wanted to make a difference in Cana- 75-year-old grandmother on the planet.
at TD Waterhouse, and finally was chairman dian health care and to champion for patients. She’s our hero. And last year we might
and CEO of Worldsource Wealth Management. Enter Best Doctors. have lost her.
There she oversaw four national operations, I am now president of an organization that After being overcome and hospital-
three reporting presidents, 1500 investment empowers people with knowledge and cer- ized with severe, blinding abdominal
advisors, and $5+ billion in assets. tainty, and I fulfill my vow to make a difference pain and fever, she was faced with one
Then, a personal experience profoundly every day. of those life-and-death decisions: “Mrs.
changed her career direction. Today she is Best Doctors, a global organization founded Leyland, results are inconclusive. I
president of Best Doctors Canada and head of by two professors of medicine at Harvard, is believe you have cancer. As your gyne-
Global Marketing, sits on the advisory boards a medical consultancy and advocacy firm pro- cological surgeon, I’ve scheduled
of the Canadian Association of People Cen- viding certainty to members facing profound urgent surgery to remove your ovaries
tred Health (CAPCH), the Academic Research medical crises. It links seriously ill members and bowel. You’ll require a permanent
Collaborative (ARC), and York University’s and their treating physicians with a community colostomy bag and eight weeks recovery.
Department of Health. She is the expert health of 50,000 peer-nominated, world-renowned However, the chief of surgery believes
columnist at Women’s Post. specialists in 450 specialty/subspecialties to you should be released on a 10-day
However, Dianne will tell you that most confirm the right diagnoses and treatment course of antibiotics to ‘wait and see.’
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AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2010

3. TRAVEL
SO EPIC
Images by Matt Pfaff of Madd Hattere Photography
Left: Dianne and her mother Marion
Below: Dianne’s daughter Amanda
Makeup by: Bianca Perisa Ritacca
What would you like to do?”
She’d been asked to decide between Door
#1 and Door #2. How is a patient equipped
to make a decision like that? Enter Best Doc-
tors and Door #3. Mom was treated by one of
the top gynecological surgeons in the world,
right here in Toronto, with minimally invasive
laparoscopic surgery, leaving her bowel intact.
Incidentally, had she chosen Door #2 – going
home – she might very well not be with us For over 40 years, Norwegian Cruise Line a rock-climbing wall, and supervised activities
today; necrotizing tissue would rapidly have has been the leader in innovative cruise when adults need a little getaway.
caused major infection. travel providing guests with some of the DINNER:
My daughter Amanda is a recent McGill most contemporary ships at sea. Particu- The Epic includes 20 different dining
graduate beginning her sales career at Xerox. larly, the introduction of freestyle cruising options inspired by the world’s leading culi-
She is focused, driven, and competitive – things has provided guests with a greater degree nary destinations. The cruise ship offers an
honed playing university hockey, and perhaps a of freedom and flexibility when on board upscale steakhouse, authentic Teppanyaki, Ital-
little to do with genetics. Coaching – about life one of Norwegian’s 11 cruise ships. ian and Chinese fare, sushi, a salad bar, and its
and business – will be more important than signature French restaurant.
ever for her future. Thankfully, her grandmoth- Norwegian’s latest, the Norwegian Epic, ENTERTAINMENT:
er will continue to be a big part of that. launched mid-July with record breaking sales The Epic offers world-class entertainment
amidst its inaugural festivities in Europe, New for its guests on board. Norwegian Cruise Line
York, and Miami. Upon closer examination of is the official cruise line of Blue Man Group,
the cruise ship, it is apparent the Epic offers a best known for their theatrical shows that com-
truly innovative and unique experience. bine music, comedy, and theatrics. For the first
Built for 4100 passengers and weighing in time, Blue Man Group performs their act at sea
at 155, 873 gross tonnes, the Epic has been aboard the Epic. The ship also features Cirque
deemed the world’s largest floating entertain- Dreams & Dinner, an interactive theatrical din-
ment venue. Here is a closer look at some of ing experience with music and mayhem, and
its key features: is the official cruise line of Legends in Concert,
ACCOMMODATION: The Second City Comedy Troupe, and Howl at
Accommodations include a variety of the Moon Dueling Pianos.
suites – from the largest villa suite complex at The ships nightlife includes SVEDKA, one
sea, to studios designed for the solo traveler, of only 14 ice bars in the world and the first
to spa suites that offer a complete spa vaca- ice bar at sea, along with Spice H20, an Ibi-
tion. The ship also includes two private decks za-inspired beach club. Throw in a full-action
at the top of the ship that offer private res- casino with a high-roller ambience, and the
taurants, bars, and pools, and family-friendly Epic is sure to offer something for everyone.
accommodations. The Norwegian Epic recently sailed her first
FAMILY: Eastern Caribbean cruise, which departed from
The Epic offers a number of family-friendly Miami and includes stops in St. Thomas, St.
activities: an aqua park with three multi-story Maarten and Nassau, Bahamas.
waterslides, six bowling alleys, Nickelodeon at To book a cruise, or to find out more infor-
Sea which offers Nickelodeon-themed enter- mation on Norwegian Epic, visit www.rosedale.
tainment and programming, a sports complex, cruiseshipcenters.com.
Written By Murtaza Adamjee
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