With profound sadness, we announce the death of Dr. Diane K Whitney who died at the Kingston General Hospital on May 22, 2024 at a young age of 61 (1963-2024).
Diane leaves behind her beloved husband of 30 years and best friend of 35 years, Darren Roberts; her brother Gord and his wife Beth and their three children (Lidia, Matthew, Anna) and her sister Lynda and her husband Chris.
Diane graduated from the University of Western Ontario (now Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry) in 1988 and completed her rotating internship training at the University of Toronto in 1989.
Diane was exceptional proud of her military career. She arrived at CFB Baden, West Germany, in June 1989 and shortly thereafter was sent to the Sinai Desert (Egypt) as part of the crash investigation team investigating a CF helicopter crash, and subsequently was responsible for the treatment of the surviving pilots hospitalized in Israel. A daunting task for a young, new doctor but this mission clearly demonstrated her strength of character.
Subsequently, she trained as a Flight Surgeon and was assigned to support 439 Fighter Squadron (CFB Baden). As a flight surgeon, any pilot grounded for any reason had to first fly with her and obtain her approval before being permitted to fly solo. She loved flying in the fighter jets and flew whenever she could.
Diane served in the First Persian Gulf War 1990 to 1991 in Doha, Qatar. Her strength, professionalism and knowledge were well recognized and it was at this time her interest in psychiatry, particularly PTSD, manifested. In addition, she provided medical support to the female service members of the US Squadron co-based and their fondness for her was rewarded with the opportunity to fly on a combat training mission in an F16. To her last day, she always spoke of this experience and she was always proud of the fact she never got sick flying as a passenger in a fighter jet.
She met her husband at CFB Baden. As destiny would have it, he arrived on a Wednesday and she on the Friday of the same week in June 1989 and they met and became life long friends on the Saturday, and subsequently became a couple following the Persian Gulf War.
After spending time serving in the Canadian military, she entered the psychiatry program at the University of Western Ontario in 1992 and received her qualification as a psychiatrist in 1996.
Diane was a dedicated physician with deep interest in patient care, resident education and community improvement. These interests led Diane to accept various challenging positions, including VP Medical Affairs CAMH, Program Director Women’s Inpatient Program CAMH, Program Director Psychiatry Residency NOSMU, and Site Director Psychiatry Residency Program Thunder Bay, and performed these duties with professionalism, caring and sometimes a bit of a “kick in the butt” attitude as needed.
As a clinical psychiatrist, Diane took care of some of the most challenging patients and became a clinical expert in mood disorders, women’s wellness and trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Her patients could expect the best possible care delivered in Diane’s straight forward candid manner.
As an educator, in addition to providing training for psychiatry residents, Diane developed and designed programs to support the wellness of residents in their training programs.
Diane was a strong advocate for her patients as well as her residents. She was fearless in these roles, often referring to the residents as her children.
When she closed her practice in Thunder Bay after nearly 14 years as a community-based psychiatrist, it was discovered that she had provided services to 3951 clients from Northen Ontario. In addition, she took it upon herself to actively recruit indigenous psychiatrist residents into NOSMU. Many of the residents are now practicing psychiatrists with several more to soon graduate. The impact of these graduates on the indigenous communities will be both significant and meaningful for years to come.
In addition, after writing the discussion paper for the Workplace Safety Insurance Board, Diane became the first female member of the Workplace Safety Insurance Appeal Tribunal in its history.
With all of her achievements, to her husband, Darren, and her closest friends, Diane was modest and caring. She always had time for people she loved.
We will miss her daily for the rest of our lives.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation for Mental Health or cheques can be made out to UHKF-KHSC-mental health and mailed to University Hospitals Kingston Foundation, 55 Rideau Street Suite 4, Kingston, ON K7K 2Z8.