Sir Chris Hoy reveals heartbreaking hope for cancer breakthrough but accepts ‘none of us live forever’
SIR CHRIS HOY has opened up on his hope for a breakthrough in cancer treatment that could extend his life.
The British cycling legend, 48, revealed in October that his cancer is terminal.
Hoy has been given just four years to live, but after initially finding his diagnosis understandably difficult, is trying to remain positive.
The inspirational Scot, who has two children with wife Sarra, recently appeared on Elizabeth Day’s “How to Fail” podcast.
On how he approaches his illness, Hoy said: “I still find hope. It doesn’t mean that the hope is that I’m going to survive this, because I’m not.
“But the hope was, and has come true, that I’m back to living again, back to enjoying each day – because none of us know what’s coming in the future, we have today and that’s it.
“I’ve been able to get back to living again, which seemed so unlikely a year ago. So lean on your family, lean on your friends – focus on what you can do, focus on what you need to do as well.
“I think trying to let go of unnecessary stresses and worries and just focusing on the important ones and everything you can do today and there’s still a lot of life left to be lived.”
Hoy then admitted that while he has accepted his illness, he still holds some hope that a further treatment can be found.
He continued: “You never know, you never know what’s going to happen.
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Source: NHS
“There’s these amazing stories all the time in different situations.
“My hope is that I’m hanging in there for a few more years and then something else will pop up, a new treatment, which might give me a few more years.
“None of us live forever so make the most of today.”
Earlier in the podcast, Hoy revealed that his mindset has improved since the summer.
He said: “There’s no way I could have sat here and talked about this six months ago without completely folding.
“I can see a difference in myself, and I believe that’s come from, first of all the support around me, but mainly because I’m choosing to appreciate the here and the now.”
Last night, Hoy gave a rousing speech as he appeared at the Sports Personality of the Year awards.
He was in attendance alongside wife Sarra, who herself has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
How Chris Hoy went from lad on £5 bike inspired by ET to 6-time Olympic champion
By Jonathan Rose
SIR Chris Hoy began cycling at the age of six after he was inspired by the 1982 film ET.
Before he moved on to track cycling, he rode a BMX bike until the age of 15.
Sir Chris was ranked second in Britain, fifth in Europe and ninth in the World.
His dad picked up a £5 bike from a jumble sale – four years later Sir Chris was competing in the semi-final of a BMX world championship race.
“I was six when I saw ET,” he told The Guardian in 2020. “It changed my life. I wasn’t interested in cycling at all before.”
“The bikes I’d seen in Edinburgh just seemed functional things for getting from A to B,” continued Hoy, who grew up in Murrayfield.
“Then I saw those BMX bikes on screen and I was hooked. It wasn’t the scene where they cycle across the sky, but when they get chased by the police and they’re doing jumps and skidding round corners.
“It was the most exciting thing I’d ever seen. I wanted to do that.”
Four years later he became part of the British national squad.
A world championship medal came in 1999 with silver in the team sprint.
Sir Chris went on to become the second most decorated Olympic cyclist of all time.