Sir Chris Hoy has given an update on his health as the Olympic hero continues battling Stage 4 prostate cancer. The six-time Olympic gold medallist received his diagnosis in September 2023 and revealed it was terminal the following year.
Hoy's Current Condition
The 50-year-old is keen to see men shoulder greater responsibility and is pushing for enhanced education around the issue. He also shared an insight into his current circumstances nearly three years after his initial diagnosis, revealing he's "doing really well" right now.
"Right now life just goes on," he told BBC Scotland. "You could spend your time sitting worrying about the future but that doesn't help you in any shape or form."
Call for a Proactive Approach
Hoy has subsequently emerged as a leading voice urging men to undergo screening, though he's calling for Britain to embrace a more proactive approach in detecting cases. He has called for people beyond celebrity figures like himself or Jeremy Clarkson, who was diagnosed and underwent surgery for prostate cancer, to raise awareness of cancer.
"I turned 50 recently and I got a letter through the post with a bowel screening test," he shared. "I understand the PSA test (a blood test that can aid in detecting prostate cancer) isn't perfect. You can get results, not false positives, but it can be that men can be treated when they maybe didn't need to be treated. But actually, I think that's not a diagnosis issue, that's a treatment issue. That's a decision for the doctors to make. I think knowing your situation is really important."
Clarkson's Diagnosis and Broader Impact
News broke in June that Clarkson had been diagnosed with prostate cancer himself while filming the fifth series of 'Clarkson's Farm' last year. He has since confirmed he's in remission but Hoy used him as another example of a public figure who shouldn't have to be the catalyst for people getting checked.
"It shouldn't just be down to high-profile individuals like Jeremy Clarkson or myself or any number of men who've been in a similar situation," Hoy continued. "There should be a more systematic and proactive approach to let men know about their own risk."
Hoy also revealed that every year, 10,000 men in the UK find out their prostate cancer diagnosis too late. Statistics indicate the number of men living with prostate cancer has surged by 100,000 since 2020 and around 12,000 men in the UK succumb to the disease annually.
Tour de 4 Charity Cycle
In his bid to raise awareness, Hoy is planning a 'Tour de 4' charity cycle on Sunday, September 6. The ride will commence and conclude at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow, having already amassed over £3million for UK cancer charities thus far.
