Ivica Profaca Sets Off on a 150 km Walk
The Split-based journalist and tour guide, who has been undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer since April 2022, begins an eight-day humanitarian endeavor in the United Kingdom on August 15.
The Split-based journalist and tour guide, who has been undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer since April 2022, begins an eight-day humanitarian endeavor in the United Kingdom on August 15.
Ivica Profaca, a journalist and tour guide from Split, embarks on a journey on August 15, 2026, that is both a personal testament to his fight and a humanitarian mission. Over eight days, he plans to walk just over 150 kilometers along Hadrian's Wall in the United Kingdom, with every kilometer carrying a message of support for cancer patients.
Profaca was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in April 2022. Despite the demanding treatments that followed, he strove to maintain control over his daily life. Walking and spending time in nature became a crucial part of his coping mechanism, and now he faces his biggest physical challenge yet.
Before his departure, Profaca shared his motivation. "Starting August 15, I plan to walk just over 150 kilometers along Hadrian's Wall in the UK, the former northern frontier of the Roman Empire, over eight days. Every kilometer I cover will be a sign of resistance to the disease and support for all who know how tough this battle is, as well as for those who, through their words and actions, give patients the strength to keep going," Profaca told Narodno.hr.
Although he is still undergoing therapy, he emphasizes that he feels well and ready for the journey. His key message is not that the disease can be conquered solely through willpower or physical strength, but that even after a serious diagnosis, one does not have to give up on life, movement, and setting new goals.
The walk along Hadrian's Wall also has a concrete humanitarian goal. Profaca has been participating for years in the Bradata aukcija (Bearded Auction), an initiative that promotes prevention and raises funds for the fight against cancer. This year's campaign will symbolically kick off at this historic location.
Collected donations will be directed to the County League Against Cancer, Split. The ultimate goal is to help secure funds for the purchase of a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, which will serve current and future oncology patients in Split.
One hundred and fifty kilometers won't change a diagnosis, but they can send a powerful message to people who wake up with one every day. As Profaca puts it, the fight is sometimes therapy, sometimes conversation, and sometimes just one more step than yesterday.