Chris Hoy told kids about cancer over dinner before making agonising decision to protect them
Sir Chris Hoy has revealed how he told his two children about his terminal cancer and the pain he went through to make it easier for them
Sir Chris Hoy has revealed the heartbreaking way he told his two children about his terminal cancer diagnosis.
The Olympic gold medallist stunned fans last night with the news and doctors have said that he is expected to live between two and four years. Chris, 48, was first told he had cancer after going to see a doctor with a pain in his shoulder which he thought was the result of an injury in the gym. The Team GB legend was then told he had prostate cancer which had progressed to tumours in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and rib and that this was terminal.
Writing in his new memoir, Chris said he went green with nausea and almost fell to the floor over the shock. "In the space of one sentence, just a collection of words, your whole world has fallen apart," he said.
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Chris' children Callum and daughter Chloe, were just nine and six when he was handed the news and the champion cyclist says he agonised over how to tell them .
He said that he agreed with his wife Sarra that they would be honest and so spoke to their children over dinner one night - telling them that Chris had cancer and would be undergoing treatment.
He said that Callum first replied "Are you going to die?" to which Chris replied that 'no-one lives forever' but he is hoping "to be here for many, many years".
When he began chemotherapy treatment, Chris said Callum asked repeatedly if he was going to lose his hair. So for the sake of the son - and to try and conceal his illness for as long as possible - Chris endured the agony of a cold cap, which he said "is like your head being in a vice", for six rounds of therapy over 18 weeks.
Chris said the move saved his hair but was the most painful ordeal he's ever experienced, “And I’ve got a very high pain threshold,” he joked.
Speaking with The Times about the diagnosis and how he has been coping with the treatment so far, he admitted: "Hand on heart, I’m pretty positive most of the time and I have genuine happiness. This is bigger than the Olympics. It’s bigger than anything. This is about appreciating life and finding joy.”
Hoy was a pundit for the BBC covering the Paris 2024 Olympics in the summer.
During his career on the track, he won six Olympic gold medals, 11 world championships and 34 World Cup titles by the time he retired from competitive racing in 2013.
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