Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023 and has since dedicated himself to promoting cancer awareness and fundraising through various projects
Sir Chris Hoy opened up about living with stage 4 cancer
Sir Chris Hoy has spoken candidly about the toughest part of living with cancer. The 50-year-old revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2023 and announced it had spread to his bones a year later. The doctors additionally gave him an estimated two to four years to live but despite that prognosis, the Scottish cycling legend has vowed to stay positive and recently insisted he is “doing fine”.
In an interview with The Big Issue, Chris said the mental side of his cancer diagnosis had been “the biggest challenge by far”. He added to The Big Issue: “The physical side is difficult, but the mental side is a real challenge.”
He also stressed: “I don’t want to present myself as someone doing really well, everything’s great, I’ve cracked it. There are some days where it’s really tough. There are ups and downs.”
Chris said what helps him most is focusing on the present rather than spiralling into “what ifs” about the future. “You can get through the most difficult of moments if you bring yourself back to the here and now and don’t try and think too far ahead,” he said, adding: “I think we always try to predict the future.”
Since his diagnosis, the former track cyclist has used his platform to raise awareness and money for cancer causes, including through his charity cycling project, Tour de 4, which supports people affected by the disease. He has also continued working in sport, including involvement linked to Glasgow’s 2026 Commonwealth Games, where he has been providing track cycling analysis.
Speaking to Sky Sports last year, the father-of-two said while his cancer is terminal, his condition had reached a stable phase. “I’ve entered a bit of a stability stage at the moment. I’m feeling good, exercising, riding the bike, busy — and most importantly cancer is not the first thing I think about in the morning when I wake up and it’s not the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night,” he said.
“I feel good… I’m on constant medications, constant treatment, but it’s not interfering too much with my life,” he added, before saying the key point is that treatment is currently working. “So I’m stable at the moment, everything’s good. So making hay while the sun shines,” he added.
The NHS says prostate cancer, the most common type of cancer in men in the UK, often causes no symptoms in its early stages. It is often easier to treat when diagnosed at an early stage.
Possible symptoms include:
- difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder
- a weak flow when you urinate
- a feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
- dribbling urine after you finish urinating
- needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
- a sudden need to urinate – you may sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet
Other symptoms can include:
- erectile dysfunction (being unable to get or keep an erection)
- blood in your urine or semen
- lower back pain and unexplained weight loss (which may be signs of advanced prostate cancer)
While symptoms can have other causes, anyone with concerns is advised to speak to their GP. A PSA blood test can help identify potential prostate problems, even if there are no obvious signs.
