Sir Chris Hoy has issued a health update and insisted it should not be down to him or Jeremy Clarkson to raise cancer awareness. The Olympic champion, who received a terminal prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, said he is "doing really well" nearly three years on from his initial diagnosis.
Hoy calls for systematic approach to screening
Hoy has become an advocate for men to undergo prostate cancer screening but believes there should be a more proactive approach to identifying cases. He wants more advocacy among those who have not received a diagnosis.
"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."
Frustration with current system
The 50-year-old is keen to see men take greater personal responsibility and is campaigning for improved education on the matter. His comments suggest a degree of frustration with the current system available to men across Britain.
"I turned 50 recently and I got a letter through the post with a bowel screening test," he added. "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 cited as example
It came to light in June that Clarkson had received a prostate cancer diagnosis while filming the fifth season of 'Clarkson's Farm' last year. He has since confirmed he is in remission, but Hoy cited him as a further example of a prominent figure who shouldn't need to be the catalyst for others seeking medical checks.
"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 added. "There should be a more systematic and proactive approach to let men know about their own risk."
Charity cycle planned
Hoy also revealed that 10,000 men in the United Kingdom every year discover their prostate cancer diagnosis too late. Figures indicate the number of men living with prostate cancer has increased by 100,000 since 2020, with around 12,000 men in the UK losing their lives to the disease annually.
In a bid to raise awareness, Hoy is preparing to host a 'Tour de 4' charity cycle on Sunday, September 6. The ride will depart from and return to the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in Glasgow, having already generated more than £3million for UK cancer charities to date.
