Six-time Olympic track cycling champion Chris Hoy reveals he has terminal cancer.
Britain’s six-time Olympic track cycling champion, Chris Hoy, has disclosed that he has “two to four years” to live following a diagnosis of terminal prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. This revelation follows the 48-year-old Scot’s earlier statement in February, where he expressed feeling “optimistic and positive” while undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer identified the previous year.
Despite his role as a pundit for the BBC during last summer’s Paris Games, Hoy has now shared that he has been aware for over a year of the incurable nature of his illness. Nevertheless, he maintains a positive outlook and continues to cherish life.
“Hand on heart, I’m generally positive most of the time and experience genuine happiness,” Hoy conveyed to The Times. “This transcends the Olympics. It surpasses everything. It is about valuing life and discovering joy.”
Hoy reflects on the natural cycle of life, stating, “As unnatural as it may seem, this is nature. We are all born, and we all die; this is simply part of the process.”
In a memoir detailing his experiences over the past year, Hoy recounts how doctors identified his cancer after initially discovering a tumor in his shoulder. The father of two also mentioned suffering an allergic reaction to his chemotherapy, which left him feeling “completely devastated” afterward.
In addition to his own health challenges, Hoy faced further adversity when his wife, Sarra Kemp, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November.
“Yet, I remind myself how fortunate I am to have access to medicine that can prolong my life as much as possible,” an optimistic Hoy remarked. “I am not merely expressing these sentiments; I have learned to embrace the present, and I experience days filled with genuine joy and happiness.”
Hoy emphasized that his perspective is not one of denial or self-deception, but rather an effort to recognize what is within our control. “Fear and anxiety stem from our attempts to foresee the future, which is merely an abstract notion. None of us can predict what lies ahead. The one certainty we possess is that our time on this planet is limited.”
Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic gold medalist, has revealed that he has “two to four years” remaining to live following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The 48-year-old shared with the Sunday Times that a scan conducted in September identified a tumor in his shoulder.
A subsequent scan two days later revealed that the primary cancer was located in his prostate, which has since spread to his shoulder, pelvis, hip, ribs, and spine, categorizing it as stage 4.
Hoy had previously announced in February that he was undergoing treatment for the illness.
The 11-time world champion in track cycling expressed to the newspaper: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature.
“We are all born, and we all die, and this is simply part of the process.”
He further remarked: “You remind yourself, aren’t I fortunate that there is medication available that can prolong my life for as long as possible.”
As a father of two, he noted that while his chemotherapy offers “no guarantee” of reducing his tumors, it has yielded the most encouraging results on “the sliding scale” of expectations.
Among the men who first participated in the trial of the medication he is currently taking in 2011, a quarter are still alive.
Hoy, whose grandfather and father both battled prostate cancer, remarked, “While one in four may appear to be a daunting statistic, to me, it represents one in four!”
He further expressed his belief in the ongoing advancements in medical science, stating, “I have faith that remarkable developments are occurring constantly.”
In his latest publication, All That Matters, the former track cyclist reveals that his wife, Sarra, received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis last year.
The couple, who exchanged vows at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh in 2010, are parents to a son and a daughter.
Hoy reflected on Sarra’s diagnosis, saying, “It was the closest I’ve come to asking… why me? Just, what? What is happening? It felt surreal.
“It was an immense shock, especially when you are already in a vulnerable state. You think that nothing could possibly worsen.
“You genuinely feel as though you have hit rock bottom, only to discover that there is still further to descend. It was devastating.”
Regarding his wife’s positive outlook, he noted, “She frequently says, ‘How fortunate are we? We both have incurable conditions for which there is some form of treatment. Not every illness offers that. It could certainly be much worse.’”
