Sir Chris Hoy has sent his support to a cancer-stricken Paralympic gold medallist who has “not moved in over seven months”.
David Smith MBE, from Fife, won gold in rowing at the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games. But the 47-year-old used a voice-activated message in February to reveal from his hospital bed that he was paralysed from the neck down and had been given just a few months to live following a long battle with cancer.
Emotional Instagram update
In an emotional update on his Instagram page, the sporting legend urged followers to “treasure the gift of life”. His words were met with support from Chris Hoy, who is facing his own terminal cancer diagnosis, and said: “You will never know how much we are all willing you on.”
David wrote on Instagram: “I have now not moved in over seven months and I found myself back in hospital struggling to breathe. I’m sorry if I’ve not replied to your messages I’m very humbled by all the support and it certainly gets me through the darkest of moments. I’m fighting very hard but I can’t lie this is extremely challenging I just want to say thank you for coming on this journey with me and treasure the gift of life. I would give anything right now to be able to sit in the mountains and just drink my own cup of coffee.”
Health battles and career
Born in Dunfermline with a club foot, David had to have his bones repeatedly broken and reset. He went on to be diagnosed with cancer several times and in 2010 he underwent surgery after doctors found a tumour inside his spinal cord, which left him temporarily paralysed. He was forced out of the 2016 Rio games, where he’d intended to compete as a cyclist, due to a tumour.
In 2018, David said he’d been warned that surgery to remove a tumour crushing his spinal cord could leave him paralysed below the neck. Thankfully, the affects of David’s surgery were temporary but last year he told how he had undergone emergency brain surgery after the discovery of three tumours.
Brain surgery and radiotherapy
The discovery came after he suffered blurred vision, exhaustion and headaches in August 2025. But he dismissed the symptoms as watching too much TV as he recovered from a broken rib until relatives urged him to visit the doctor in October. He was immediately whisked away for a six-hour operation to extract a tumour the size of an orange and underwent another life-saving procedure to address fluid accumulation on his brain.
Medical professionals confirmed the tumours were benign, though David was receiving radiotherapy to reduce the remaining two growths. In February, David shared the shattering news with his local paper in Inverness that he was in cancer paralysis and feared he may never get home to Aviemore again - except for his funeral.
Support from stars
Stars from the world of sport and beyond have supported David through his rehabilitation journey, which he has documented on social media. After this week’s update Sir Chris said he was “sending love and strength”, while his wife Sarra added: “We all worship and adore you David! You teach us so much.”
Scots TV star and friend Jenni Falconer was also quick to send words of encouragement, saying: “David, we’re all right behind you, willing you on. Your strength, determination and spirit never cease to amaze any of us. I feel so lucky to call you my friend.”
