LEEONA BOND

Leeona Bond specializes in Remedial Massage and she is passionate about helping people stay healthy and well, so they can pursue their own passions. She loves how the members at STARKE are so interested in their own wellness and they are willing to put in the work!

Leeona knows all about putting in work herself, as an athlete and as a human. She participated in gymnastics as a child, track in high school, and running/weight training through University. As an adult, she jokes that she “pretends to be an athlete” by running the occasional obstacle run, 10 K, and half marathon. One thing you should know about Leeona is that there are few challenges she will define and conquer, especially when she is doubted: “I only ran my first half marathon because someone told me I couldn’t,” she says.

If you’re wondering what brought Leeona to her role as a Registered Massage Therapist, you probably won’t be surprised to know it was also a challenge she faced in her life!

“It was a long and winding road, and I’m still on it! I was at U of W in my final years of an Antropology & Geography double major, when I got really sick. I was diagnosed with Diabetes, which sort of turned my life upside down. While finishing up my degree, every time I went to the library to do research on climatological history or human evolution, I’d inevitably end up wandering over to the sections on human physiology and health. I was keenly interested in what was going on with my own body, but realized that in order to understand what had gone wrong with it, I had to understand how it was supposed to work properly in the first place. I dove into learning everything about health, nutrition, and fitness – the cornerstones of my own diabetes management. Turns out I really loved this stuff, and couldn’t seem to learn enough. I did finish the degree that year, but immediately returned to U of W in the faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Studies (PASS), Athletic Therapy stream. I completed all the coursework, and some of the clinical and field practicums, but once I had the exposure to massage as a modality, I knew that was really where my passion was. I completed my PASS major, and then went on to MTCM (Massage Therapy College of Manitoba), where I graduated with my diploma in Advanced Remdial Massage Therapy in 2006. I’ve been practicing massage at least part time ever since, and Paul was one of my earliest clients. When he eventually opened STARKE, and asked if I could commit to some time there, of course I said yes!” she says.

When Leeona is not working as a Fitness Coordinator for the military or doing massages in the evening, she enjoys her small amount of spare time by hanging out at the lake, going for a run, reading, playing with her dog, riding her dirt bike, or sledding.