Badur's journey into massage therapy began about 20 years ago when he owned a retail store in Wetaskiwin called "What's In Store." His customers would often complain of headaches, and he would do a quick massage on their neck and head to relieve them. As he says, "It was just a hobby then."
When he moved to Wetaskiwin in 2001 with his wife, Zaheen, Mr. Bud Siler entered his life. Bud, a man in his seventies, made fishing hooks, and since Badur is an avid fisherman and hunter, he frequently visited Bud’s house. During his visits, Badur would massage Bud’s legs because he had difficulty walking, and Bud would rave about how good his legs felt afterward.
In 2004, Badur and Zaheen visited her family in Kenya, where he continued his hobby of massaging people in pain. He genuinely wanted to help relieve their discomfort. One woman, in particular, dropped her walking cane and walked in a straight line after just two massage treatments. To this day, she still calls Badur "a healer."
Badur is now a registered massage therapist with 2200 hours of training. He is also certified in orthopedic massage for lower body conditions by James Waslaski. In the last four years since opening Shanti Wellness Centre, clients from Fort McMurray, Calgary, and Innisfail have made appointments just to see him.
Badur was once asked what he thinks to himself before starting a massage. He answered:
"How can I solve this client's problem or pain? What can I do to ensure he/she can walk out of here 10 times better?"
Beyond massage therapy, Badur is also a karate instructor ([link to karate]) and an Agatsu kettlebell instructor ([link to kettlebell]).
