Vika Pasefika is a professional boxer, a mixed martial arts expert, fitness boot camp trainer and a proud father.

He is also a cancer survivor who only recently received the shattering diagnosis of bone cancer and lost a finger to the disease.

Not one to let life lay him low, Vika responded to his diagnosis by taking up oars in the fight against the disease and entering a team into the Corporate Outrigger Challenge in this year’s Wishlist Row for Cancer.

More than twenty corporate teams will take part in the event on September 6, and with this being the first time for Vika’s ‘Fobs Bootcamp’ team, he says they will simply do the best they can while having fun.

“It’s for a great cause, one that’s close to my heart,” Vika says. “A lot of people nominated me on Facebook to do the ‘ice challenge’ craze that’s happening on social media but instead of buying ice bags I put the money towards a registration fee in the Wishlist Row for Cancer.”

A man who has built a career out of his love of sport, Vika says his focus is on training others and passing on the knowledge he’s gained over the years to help them lead fitter lives. He combines boxing and mixed martial arts to train clients, and focuses on training kids as well as helping busy parents find time to exercise.

Vika says he hopes his experience and outlook on life will inspire his clients to achieve their goals, no matter what. “Finding out I had cancer was devastating, but I couldn’t let it affect my sport or stop me, I knew I had to carry on doing what I do,” he says.

“I had a boot camp session to run the day after my finger was amputated, so I woke up all bandaged and with a sling on and just carried on. I felt it was important to show my clients that whatever happens in your life, nothing can stop you doing what you love.”

The Fobs Bootcamp team is made up of Vika’s clients, most of whom are parents of “many children.”

“We will have a loud cheering section on the banks of the Maroochy River on race day” Vika announces proudly. “The kids are our number one fans and they are really looking forward to it.”

The Wishlist Row for Cancer is on Saturday, September 6, featuring an all-day programme of races on the Maroochy River. Wishlist is calling for more teams to enter in the Corporate Outrigger Challenge which apart from being a fun teambuilding exercise and an opportunity to try a new sport will also go a long way towards helping Wishlist raise much needed funds for cancer – a cause that touches us all.