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Multiple Olympic and world champion Chris Hoy has revealed he is facing a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The decorated track cyclist announced in February that he had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. He said then that his treatment, which included chemotherapy, “is going really well.
“I am continuing to work, ride my bike and live my life as normal.”
However in an interview with the Sunday Times this weekend he spoke about his condition eight months on, telling the newspaper that he has known for a year that his illness was terminal.
“As unnatural as it feels, this is nature,” he said.
“You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.
“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”
Hoy’s illness came to light last year after he suffered shoulder pain. He believed he had incurred an injury while lifting weights but a scan revealed a tumor.
Hoy said Sunday that he was subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer and that tumors were also discovered in his pelvis, hip, spine and rib.
He said that doctors have told him he has between two and four years to live.
Both his father and grandfather suffered with prostate cancer.
Hoy is one of the most successful British athletes across all sports. His haul of six Olympic golds between 2004 and 2012 is exceeded only by the seven golds fellow track cyclist Jason Kenny has amassed.
Hoy also took 11 world titles.
Despite the news, he is maintaining an upbeat outlook.
“Hand on heart, I’m pretty positive most of the time and I have genuine happiness,” he said. “This is bigger than the Olympics. It’s bigger than anything. This is about appreciating life and finding joy.”
Double illness in the family: ‘It was such a huge blow’
Hoy has continued to work since his original diagnosis, including doing TV commentary during the Olympic Games and again this week on the track world championships.
He has been working on a new memoir entitled All That Matters: My Toughest Race Yet. It will be released next month.
“I’m just really excited that this book hopefully will be able to help people,” he said.
“It’s a double-edged sword, because the kids make it all the more painful when you have the fear of what there is to lose.
“But they also help you appreciate each day and get through those difficult moments.”
He has two children aged 10 and seven. His wife Sarra was diagnosed last year with multiple sclerosis and is also in treatment.
Being faced with that double illness in the family has been very hard for him to take.
“It’s the closest I’ve come to, like, you know, why me? Just, what? What’s going on here?,” he said.
“It didn’t seem real. It was such a huge blow when you’re already reeling. You think nothing could possibly get worse. You literally feel like you’re at rock bottom, and you find out, oh no, you’ve got further to fall. It was brutal.”
Still, he credits his wife with helping him to look for positives.
“She says all the time, ‘How lucky are we? We both have incurable illnesses for which there is some treatment. Not every disease has that. It could be a lot worse.’”
Seeking positives: ‘There are amazing things happening all the time’
Hoy’s initial announcement of his illness in February came without specific details about his condition. He said it was forced at the time as somebody was about to go public with the news.
Sunday’s interview shows how serious his illness is. Still just 48 years of age, he continues to look for positives and does see aspects to be grateful for.
His chemotherapy has made his tumors as small as the most optimistic outlook. He also said that 25 percent of men who underwent 2011 medical trials with the same treatment he is being administered are still alive.
“One in four may sound like a terrible stat. But to me that’s like… one in four!.”
“I do have faith that there are amazing things happening all the time,” he said, pointing out that other treatments may yet emerge.
He has told his children that he hopes to “be here for many, many more years.”
The news of his illness has led to an outpouring of support for him. Tour de France stage win record holder Mark Cavendish was amongst those wishing him well, writing on social media that Hoy is a ‘hero of a human being.’
