EDITOR’S NOTE: Manitoulin is being transformed with the influx of new residents and business owners who bring with them fresh ideas, experiences and perspectives that are enriching the area. Some individuals and families are still unpacking boxes, having only moved in the past month or two, while others made the move over the last few years and are now comfortably established in their new communities. Here is one of their stories.
by Heather Marshall
To say that Victor Cirone and Nadya Edelstein are passionate about homeopathy is an understatement. The couple’s enthusiasm for, and profound belief in, their profession is as boundless as it is inspiring. It seems to be all they can talk about.
“It’s essentially my whole life now,” explains Victor, who first studied philosophy at the University of Toronto and then completed a Master’s degree in the Communication and Culture programs at Ryerson and York universities before becoming seriously ill with a chronic kidney condition. “I had surgery and went through the conventional medical system, but it became clear that the underlying causes of my condition had not been adequately addressed. That entire experience initiated a deep process of self-understanding, which prompted me to explore natural healing.”
Victor initially trained as a clinical herbalist and ran a general practice in herbal medicine based out of Toronto for several years. However, “after enough time working with patients, I concluded there was something missing in what I was doing. Homeopathy has a unique way of assessing and treating the origins of disease, which may reach back many generations. Homeopathy considers all aspects of the processes of health and disease, including the genetic and epigenetic levels, and recognizes that physical and mental-emotional symptoms reflect an underlying disturbance.”
Victor points out that homeopathy was the first regulated healthcare profession in Canadian history and that many of Canada’s early doctors were homeopaths. In 1883, for example, Dr. Emily Stowe—a homeopathic physician and the first woman in Canadian history to practice as a licensed medical doctor—founded Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. “There were numerous homeopathic hospitals and medical colleges located throughout North America. Yet it took decades for homeopathy to be a regulated healthcare profession in Ontario, which only happened in 2015.”
Victor became a Registered Homeopath after completing a rigorous three-year program at the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine, where he studied the fundamentals of the medical sciences and took part in comprehensive clinical apprenticeships.
Victor’s chosen profession, which blends both art and science, was a natural choice. His childhood was spent immersed in the world of music, and his passion for the mysteries of nature stretches back to his earliest memories. He always had a philosophical bent that led him to want to understand the “big questions,” traits well suited to his career choice.
In recent years, Victor longed to leave the city to spend more time in the countryside. The impetus to do so came about when he met his life partner. “I’m here because I met Nadya, who had already moved to Manitoulin. As our relationship developed, it became clear that Manitoulin is where I am supposed to be.”
Nadya was born in Russia, which she left to study at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London in the UK. The program enabled her to pursue her interest in invisible creative impulses that underlie natural objects and beings in the world. After completing an arts education, Nadya moved to Toronto in 2014 where she continued her artistic practice and began working as a software engineer.
Nadya made the move to Manitoulin four years ago, after growing increasingly frustrated with city life. “I initially came here because of my interest in gardening and desire to live in a place where I could be surrounded by nature. I immediately fell in love with the Island, with its rich natural history and vibrant ecology. It offers tranquility that really fuels my creative impulses and lets me be myself,” she says. After exploring the Island, she eventually put down roots in Tehkummah.
Nadya is currently studying homeopathy with the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine and is now seeing patients under clinical supervision. She says the profession satisfies both the creative and analytical sides of her mind. “Homeopathy is ultimately a study of the totality of nature, of how natural processes and forms are reflected in states of human health and disease.” Following graduation in 2025, she will run a full-time homeopathic practice on the Island and beyond. Nadya is also completing her certification in clinical herbal medicine.
In the meantime, the couple is busy building their new straw-bale home. The house will also serve as a clinic, where they will see their patients, as well as an educational hub where they will host workshops. They have already completed construction of a greenhouse where they are starting to grow their own food. “We grew greens and radishes over the winter. To our delight, it was warm enough that the plants survived,” adds Nadya.
Victor and Nadya are extremely grateful to live and work on Manitoulin, which they believe offers the ideal environment for their profession and lifestyle. The two young physicians have made friends locally and quickly settled into rural living. They are committed to making Manitoulin home for the long haul.
*Heather Marshall and her husband worked as journalists and consultants in the National Capital Region for more decades than they care to admit before making their Sandfield cottage their permanent home. A lifelong learner, Heather loves discovering new things and people and relishes the opportunity to write about newcomers to the Manitoulin. If you would like to share your story or know of recent arrivals we should meet, send a message to HAMarshall@proton.me
