Sir Chris Hoy has sparked a remarkable surge in prostate cancer awareness since revealing his terminal diagnosis last October.
The seven-time Olympic medallist bravely disclosed he has up to four years to live.
“As unnatural as it feels, this is nature,” the 48-year-old told the Sunday Times with characteristic stoicism.
“You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.”
Sir Chris Hoy’s cancer diagnosis shocked fans around the world
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Hoy’s journey began when he visited a doctor in September 2023 for what he thought was merely a shoulder strain.
“I’m just getting a bit old for lifting heavy weights,” he initially believed.
Going to hospital alone, he expected minor advice about gym work.
Instead, he received devastating news: “There’s a tumour in your shoulder.”
Further scans revealed the primary cancer was in his prostate and had metastasised to his bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine.
Since revealing his diagnosis, Hoy’s impact has been extraordinary.
NHS data shows traffic to their prostate cancer web page has increased by 47%, reaching 190,000 visits.
Even more impressively, Prostate Cancer UK reports that nearly 625,000 men have checked their risk online in the four months since his announcement.
Over 156,000 of these checks can be directly linked to Hoy’s media appearances.
Sir Chris Hoy has had a huge impact on men going to have prostate check-ups in recent months
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The charity’s social media posts about Sir Chris have received over 2.2 million impressions.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, praised Hoy’s openness.
“Thanks to Chris’ decision to speak so openly about his situation, the hard work of NHS staff and our effective awareness campaigns, we are diagnosing more men with prostate cancer at an earlier stage than ever before,” he told SunSport.
“We know that coming forward for prostate checks can be daunting, but it could save your life.”
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Prostate Cancer UK’s chief executive Laura Kerby praised Hoy’s selflessness.
“We are hugely grateful to Sir Chris for selflessly using his platform to speak so honestly about his prostate cancer diagnosis,” she said.
The charity saw a 44% increase in contacts to their specialist services in the week after his announcement.
“One in eight men will get prostate cancer, and too many men like Sir Chris are diagnosed purely by chance,” Kerby added.