Sir Chris Hoy has urged men over the age of 45 to get a PSA test after speaking candidly about his cancer diagnosis. In his first television interview since details of his condition became public last month, Hoy revealed that he’s recently had a close friend also diagnosed, and praised the courage of his wife Sarra as she battles multiple sclerosis.
In October, Hoy announced that he had been given between ‘two and four years’ to live after learning his cancer was incurable.
He’s now advised people not to wait until it’s too late to find out if they too have the condition.
“If you’ve got family history of it like I have, if you’re over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor,” he told BBC Breakfast. “I’ve got a friend who, when I told him my news early on confidentially, he went and got a PSA test and it turned out he had cancer. He’s had treatment and he’s been given the all-clear.”
The six-time Olympic gold medalist also called for testing for men to start at a younger age. “Catch it before you need to have any major treatment,” he added. “To me it seems a no-brainer. Reduce the age, allow more men to just go in and get a blood test.”
Hoy first learnt of his terminal diganosis in September 2023, initially opting to keep the news private. And he admitted to being left in shock by what he was told, after assuming his previous pains were due to working out in the gym.
“No symptoms, no warnings, nothing,” he said. “All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs. I assumed it was going to be tendonitis or something, and it was just going to be lay off weights or lay off cycling for a wee while and get some treatment and it’ll be fine.”
After a series of hospital scans, Hoy was told his condition had escalated from prostate cancer to secondary bone cancer. “I’d had zero symptoms, nothing to point me towards that that might be an issue,” he added. “We were given the news that this was incurable.”
Just two months later, his wife Sarra received her own harrowing diagnosis. The couple have two children, Callum and Chloe, and the 48-year-old admitted with him and Sarra were initially unsure on how to tell them about developments.
However, he gave a positive update on his partner, and even claimed they felt grateful at being able to receive treatement. “That was the hardest point without question, that diagnosis (Sarra’s),” Hoy said.
“But we’re pressing on, she’s receiving treatment and she’s doing well at the moment, and aren’t we lucky that there’s treatment for it? She has medicine she can take and I have medicine I can take. So we’re lucky.”
Tonight (Tuesday) at 8pm, the full interview, titled Sir Chris Hoy: Finding Hope is scheduled to be shown on BBC 1. The Scot has continued to work on the channel since revealing his diagnosis, appearing as a pundit at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Denmark last month.
