Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy has spoken candidly about his battle with incurable cancer, revealing how he refused to let the diagnosis define him. The 50-year-old cycling icon, who was given between two and four years to live in 2024, admitted that he struggled to stop thoughts of his condition dominating his mornings after being told he had stage four cancer in 2023.
Coming to Terms with the Diagnosis
Appearing on the Breast Cancer Now podcast, Sir Chris explained how he came to terms with the devastating news. 'No one knows what's coming tomorrow, so enjoy today and make the most of it,' he said. He described the moment he was told: 'You have incurable cancer, it's treatable, but it's incurable. In the space of one sentence, my whole world had been turned upside down and all hope had been taken away.'
Sir Chris, who amassed 37 medals during his remarkable track cycling career, including six Olympic golds, said it took him about six months to stop letting cancer be the first thing he thought about in the morning and the last thing at night. 'It's about controlling that and finding ways to live with your cancer and try not to let it dictate who you are,' he added.
Living with Stage Four Cancer
The cancer has since spread to his bones. Sir Chris noted that stage four cancer means it is 'something you will live with for the rest of your life.' He explained that while scans can be clear, the cancer can return. 'It will come back at some stage. But it's about controlling that and finding ways to live with your cancer.'
He emphasised the importance of focusing on what one can control: 'We don't get to choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond. If you're fighting against things out of your control, you'll never be happy or make the most of your situation.'
Resilience and Charity Work
Despite his diagnosis, Sir Chris remains incredibly resilient. He is organising another Tour de 4 charity cycling event in September, following last year's inaugural race, which raised over £3.1 million. He acknowledged that scan times and medical meetings bring the reality back to the surface, but he continues to fight.
'It's not a sudden day where it stops happening,' he said. 'When you walk into the oncologist's office, it's not a nice feeling waiting to get news about the latest state of play.' Yet, he maintains a positive outlook, urging others to 'enjoy today and free ourselves from a lot of the things we worry about.'
