Sir Chris Hoy has shared an upbeat update on his stage four prostate cancer, saying he is "doing really well just now" while urging the Government to adopt a more proactive approach to the disease.
It has been nearly three years since the six-time Olympic champion received his diagnosis. Since then, he has campaigned for a national screening programme and encouraged men across the UK to get checked.
Frustration over screening responsibility
Despite his positivity, Sir Chris admitted feeling frustrated that raising awareness still largely falls on individuals rather than on a formal, systematic process.
"I don't think it should be up to me or other people in the spotlight to do it," he said on BBC Breakfast. "There should be a more systematic and proactive approach to let men know about their own risk."
He pointed to fellow public figure Jeremy Clarkson as a further example of why that needs to change. It emerged in June that the Clarkson's Farm presenter had been diagnosed with prostate cancer while filming the fifth series of the show the previous year. Clarkson has since confirmed he is now in remission.
Treatment and outlook
Sir Chris argued that it should not take household names going public with their diagnoses to prompt men to seek medical checks.
"I would still be doing this even if there was a screening process in place," he said, "but it shouldn't just be down to high-profile individuals like Jeremy Clarkson, myself, or any number of men in similar situations."
Appearing on BBC Breakfast with presenter Jane Lewis, Sir Chris gave an update on his condition. "It's something that my wife and I talk about a lot and remind ourselves a lot about how lucky we are that we both have illnesses which are treatable," he said.
"Mine's not curable, but it's treatable, and not every man is as lucky as me in terms of the reaction to the treatment. Some don't have such a positive reaction. So far, I've had a really positive reaction to it."
Looking ahead, he added: "Long may that continue. It won't last forever, but there are other lines of defence, and beyond that, the hope is that new medicines and new treatments are coming out all the time."
"You can spend your time sitting, worrying about the future, but that doesn't help you in any shape or form. You still have to plan, you still have to face the future, but once you've done that, you have to get in the present and appreciate it, and know that anything could happen at any time."
BBC Breakfast airs daily at 6am on BBC One.
