Sir Chris Hoy has revealed the devastating impact of his terminal prostate cancer, which caused tumours to burrow into his spine, leaving him unable to lift his young daughter.
The six-time Olympic cycling champion was diagnosed with cancer in September 2023 after a tumour was detected in his shoulder.
In October last year, scans revealed his condition was terminal, with doctors estimating he had “two to four years” to live.
Speaking on Gabby Logan’s podcast, The Mid Point, Sir Chris explained the severity of his condition.
Sir Chris Hoy has revealed he cannot pick up his young daughter anymore
Sky Sports
“When I had the first diagnosis and scans, some of the secondary tumours in my spine had actually burrowed into the bone so badly it had fractured… I had a fractured vertebrae,” he revealed.
Doctors immediately warned him against any lifting, including his six-year-old daughter Chloe.
“Being told not to pick up your six-year-old daughter, that was like, ‘Right, this is really impacting my life’,” Hoy said.
Despite this heartbreaking setback, Hoy underwent a specialised procedure to repair his spine.
“I had some injections,” he explained. “They basically drill into your vertebrae, squirt this cement material in and it sets and it fuses and it makes the vertebrae as good as new again.”
The treatment has been successful, allowing him to resume physical activities.
“So I’m back to lifting weights again,” he added.
The emotional impact of his condition was profound for the Olympic champion.
“The thought of not being able to pick up your child, the thought of that not being a possibility was horrendous,” Hoy shared.
He compared his relief after treatment to finding a lost wallet.
“As soon as you’re told this has been taken away, you suddenly appreciate everything, the basic things. It’s like losing your wallet, when you find it… you’re not in a net-gain situation but you’re so grateful for it.”
Despite his diagnosis, Hoy remains remarkably positive about his current condition.
Sir Chris Hoy has been positive about his condition
PA
“I don’t think about cancer first thing in the morning, I don’t think about it last thing at night. I’m physically much better and I reset my targets each day,” he told Logan.
The 48-year-old now focuses on “post-diagnosis benchmarks” rather than comparing himself to his previous athletic capabilities.
“If I have a good day, I can say it’s a personal best, today’s the best day I’ve had in the last 18 months.”
Hoy has been using his platform to raise awareness about prostate cancer since his diagnosis.
“For me, my purpose is spreading awareness about it, trying to get men to go and get checked,” he told Sky Sports in December.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Sir Chris Hoy became Britain’s most decorated Olympian with six gold medals
PA
“It’s a very simple thing to deal with if you catch it early enough.”
He hopes sharing his experience will help others facing similar challenges.
“You can get through the most extreme situations and pop out the other end, whilst you still have hope.”
Sir Chris Hoy established himself as a British sporting hero with six Olympic gold medals across three consecutive summer games from 2004 to 2012.
He received a knighthood for his achievements in 2009.
Hoy retired from cycling in 2013 as Britain’s most decorated Olympian at the time, though he has since been overtaken by Sir Jason Kenny.
His remarkable career included three gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 alone.