Anchorage hosted the Alaskans 4 Personal Freedom annual conference on Saturday, Oct. 5, under the theme “the truth begins where the script ends.” The all‑day event brought together doctors, entrepreneurs and political candidates to discuss health alternatives, education reform and vaccine safety from a perspective that emphasizes family choice and personal liberty.

Alternative medicine and hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Dr. Ilona Farr opened the program with a rapid overview of nutraceuticals – foods and food‑derived products that offer medical benefits. She highlighted Alaskan staples such as purple potatoes, high in potassium and antioxidants, and Haskap berries, which she said can improve memory and lower blood pressure within an hour and a half of consumption. Fireweed and rhubarb roots were also cited as promising anti‑inflammatory and anti‑cancer agents.

Former state legislator Sharon Jackson then introduced the Integrative Medicine Chamber of Commerce, a new organization she founded to give alternative‑medicine practitioners a unified voice in Alaska.

Dr. Daphne Denham presented a detailed look at hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). She explained that delivering 100 % oxygen at pressures above atmospheric levels can reach ischemic tissue that is still viable, reducing swelling by 20‑30 % and helping treat compartment syndrome and frostbite. While the FDA currently approves HBOT for those conditions, Dr. Denham argued that acute traumatic brain injury – a leading cause of Alaska’s high suicide rate – should also be covered, noting that the state has the nation’s highest concussion and suicide statistics.

Education, DEI and parental‑rights concerns

Paul Runko’s presentation, “DEI to AI: The New Frontiers in the Battle for America’s Children,” warned that diversity, equity and inclusion programs are a re‑branding of critical‑race‑theory concepts. He cited Fairfax County’s “privilege bingo” cards and Los Angeles’ race‑restricted Black Student Achievement Program as examples that he believes undermine merit‑based education.

Runko claimed roughly 80 % of surveyed parents want schools to disclose gender‑identity issues, yet many districts allegedly withhold that information. He pointed to the Alaska Education Association’s $34 million automatic salary deductions and warned that schools are becoming increasingly left‑leaning, producing poor math and reading outcomes.

On the technology front, Runko warned that AI tools in Google Classroom were introduced without administrator, parent or board consent, potentially spreading liberal ideology. He urged parents to attend school board meetings, file open‑records requests, use Defending Education’s incident form and exercise the Supreme Court‑backed parental‑rights opt‑out letter.

Vaccine safety discussion

Dr. Bob Sears offered a skeptical view of several childhood vaccines. He argued that the pertussis, polio and diphtheria shots do not prevent infection or transmission and may trade off longer‑term immunity, while the measles vaccine does prevent infection. Citing his 28‑year practice, Dr. Sears said he has seen no intensive‑care admissions, permanent disability or deaths among unvaccinated patients, and he suggested that vaccination might dampen the body’s natural immune response, making vaccinated individuals more susceptible to non‑vaccine‑preventable germs.

Dr. Sears emphasized that his conclusions are theoretical and that he simply informs patients rather than advising against vaccination.

Political voices at the conference

Former Alaska Attorney General and 2026 gubernatorial candidate Treg Taylor recalled a briefing by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that highlighted concerns about the federal vaccine response and Fauci’s role. Taylor criticized Democratic attorneys general for ignoring those concerns.

Lt. Governor candidate Mike Shower used his brief remarks to urge voters to support Ballot Measure 2, which would repeal ranked‑choice voting, and Measure 3, which would require citizenship for voting. He warned that ranking only one Republican can lead to exhausted ballots that ultimately benefit Democrats.

Water purification and alternative health

Dr. Pierre Kory, speaking via Zoom, discussed water treatment and his work with Themarox, a Japanese volcanic mineral extract. Kory, who left conventional practice during the COVID‑19 pandemic to focus on ivermectin and water‑based therapies, highlighted the potential of mineral‑rich water to improve health, referencing his three books on the subject.

The conference underscored a growing Alaskan movement that blends alternative health, parental‑rights education and a call for transparent, liberty‑focused governance.

Original reporting: Must Read Alaska (Anchorage) — read the source article.