Chris Hoy’s wife has said his decision to reveal his prostate cancer diagnosis has triggered an increase in men seeking advice, and described him as a “real-life superhero”.
The six-time Olympic gold medallist disclosed last weekend that he had “two to four years” left to live, after a scan found that the main cancer found in his prostate had metastasised to his shoulder, pelvis, hip, ribs and spine and was stage 4. He had announced in February that he had been diagnosed with the disease.
Sarra Hoy said her husband’s announcement that his condition was terminal was “likely to save countless lives” and she had been told that the number of men seeking advice about prostate cancer was up sevenfold.
In a video posted on his Instagram account on Thursday, Hoy, 48, said he had been “utterly blown away” by the support he had received and was “so grateful to everyone for their incredible kindness”. The increase in men seeking advice about prostate cancer was a “huge comfort”, and he said: “Hopefully many lives could be saved by early testing.”
He said of his diagnosis: “It is not the news anyone imagines hearing and it obviously came as a huge shock.” He said he and his family had taken time to process the news and he now had a “deep resolve to turn this incredibly difficult diagnosis into something more positive”.
Sarra Hoy said the couple, who married in Edinburgh 14 years ago and have two children, had “so many more adventures planned”.
Sharing a photo of the couple on holiday, she wrote on Instagram: “Completely overwhelmed by your kind, thoughtful and helpful messages. Many people say they don’t know what to say – that’s OK, you don’t need to have the words – just taking the time to message has been like a soothing balm to the soul. Thank you.
“I’ve been told that men seeking advice about prostate cancer is up sevenfold and that Chris’s story is likely to save countless lives. This takes my breath away.”
She wrote: “Life is wonderful. We are excited about the future. We have so many more adventures planned … And I am so fortunate to get to do it all with @chrishoy1 – the most incredible person I’ve ever met. Watching him on the BBC at the weekend was like watching a masterclass in strength of character, dignity and humility. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – he truly is my real life superhero.”
Hoy has said his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year.
The founder of the charity Prostate Scotland has also praised Hoy for speaking publicly about his condition, saying it will “undoubtedly” have an impact on awareness of the disease.
Prof Alan McNeill, a consultant urological surgeon at NHS Lothian, said: “What he has done, I presume he has done specifically to try to help others, so I think he has to be admired and thanked for his courage in doing that, because he has a young family and it is not easy. But in doing so there is no question that it has raised the issue up the agenda.”
Hoy said last weekend that his father and grandfather had both been diagnosed with the disease. McNeill urged other men with a family history of prostate cancer to get tested in an attempt to catch any cases early. He said: “If Chris Hoy can spare others with a similar family history then he will have done a great thing, another great thing.”
Earlier this week the charity Macmillan Cancer Support said Hoy’s announcement of his terminal diagnosis had sparked the biggest surge in web searches about the disease since King Charles and the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.
