Full text of the Alaska Legislature's Award:

ALASKA LEGISLATURE

HONORING

DEBBIE BOOTS

The members of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature are grateful to Debbie Boots for the team she has assembled at Borealis Massage Therapy to support health, wellness, and fitness goals through therapeutic bodywork.

Debbie graduated from West Anchorage High School and holds a degree in finance from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She began practicing massage in 1993 and is always looking for new research and techniques to best support her clients’ health and well-being.

In 2013, Debbie established Borealis Massage Therapy. She’s gathered a fantastic team of body work professionals who support each other while offering a range of different therapeutic bodywork services. The current team consists of Deb and two other massage therapists, Wendy McKinnon and Teresa Arnold, a physical therapist, Julie Merrill, and a nurse, Amy Echols.

Debbie provides deep tissue, myofascial release, sports, orthopedic, and oncology massage. She is certified with the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage (NCBTMB) and is a member of the Society for Oncology Massage. Clients seek Borealis Massage Therapy for a myriad of reasons; however, Debbie is particularly talented at providing massage therapy to clients who are undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment to assist with symptom management. Massage helps manage lymphedema, a swelling in the limbs that is a common side effect of cancer treatment and surgery.

Debbie is an avid mountain biker, runner, tennis player, and triathlete. She blends her love of the outdoors with her work in oncology massage through her affiliation with Let Every Woman Know — Alaska (LEWK), a nonprofit that is dedicated to preventing, facing, and ending gynecologic cancers. LEWK’s annual fundraiser is the Alyeska Climbathon, a four-hour, triple-lap event on Alyeska’s North Face Trail. Debbie accumulates many laps during the event, raising funds for the organization.

The members of the Thirty-Fourth Alaska State Legislature thank Debbie Boots for her commitment to the health and wellness of Alaskans, especially those who are battling cancer.

Signatures:

Bryce Edgmon, Speaker of the House

Gary Stevens, Presidend of the Senate

Representative. Alyse Galvin, Sponsor

Senator Matt Clamon, Co-sponsor

Date:

April 24, 2023