Sir Chris Hoy has provided an update on his cancer battle, with the former cyclist revealing the pain he has been in since the tumour spread and broke his spine
Sir Chris Hoy speaks out about his cancer diagnosis(Image: PA)
Sir Chris Hoy has opened up about the severe impact of his terminal prostate cancer diagnosis, revealing that the spread of his tumour resulted in him needing injections for his spine.
The Olympic cyclist shared his diagnosis in 2024 and was told he had between two to four years left to live. Despite starting chemotherapy earlier that year, by September, doctors informed him that his cancer had spread.
However, in December, the 48-year-old expressed that he was in ‘the best shape I’ve been in for over a year’ after responding well to treatment. Yet, he has now revealed the extent of the pain he has endured since his diagnosis.
After learning his tumour had spread, Hoy was told it had fractured his spine, leaving him unable to lift his six-year-old daughter Chloe. Speaking on the Mid Point podcast (via The Sun), Hoy said: “When I had scans, secondary tumours in my spine had actually burrowed into the bone so badly it had fractured. Being told not to pick up your six-year-old daughter, that was like, ‘Right, this is really impacting my life’.
“So I had injections. They drill into your vertebrae, squirt this cement material in and it sets, fuses and makes the vertebrae as good as new again. So I’m back to lifting weights again. 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. The thought of not being able to pick up your child, the thought of that not being a possibility was horrendous. And then for now I’m doing OK.”
Hoy, the celebrated Olympic champion, has been candid about his health struggles since his prostate cancer diagnosis, using his platform to encourage awareness. “For me, my purpose is spreading awareness about it, trying to get men to go and get checked,” he shared with Sky Sports in December. “It’s a very simple thing to deal with if you catch it early enough.
“I realise how far I’ve come now. There’s no way I could have sat here talking to you six months ago. I would have been a gibbering wreck. The overall hope was that it would help people, not just people going through a cancer diagnosis. But that you can get through the most extreme situations and pop out the other end, whilst you still have hope and are able to live your life.”
Hoy has a storied career, securing at least one gold medal in three consecutive summer games from 2004 to 2012, and since his diagnosis, he has been actively working to raise prostate cancer awareness.
