Six-time Olympic gold medalist Chris Hoy has seen some of the highest highs an athlete can hope for in his life, but he's also experienced some of the steepest lows. In February, the British cyclist revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer last year, and while he assured his followers that he was receiving treatment, it appeared his condition would not improve.
In a new interview with Sunday TimesHoy confirmed his cancer was terminal. It all started last September when he thought he injured his shoulder, but it turned out it was much more serious.
“'I'm really sorry,' the doctor told him. “'There's a tumor on your shoulder.'” Another scan days later found primary cancer in his prostate, which had metastasized to his bones and left tumors in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and ribs. The doctor told him the disease He said it was stage 4 and incurable.
Hoy describes this experience in his new memoir All That Matters: My Toughest Race Yet. “And so I learn how to die,” he wrote Sunday Times. He asked the doctor the million dollar question: “How long do I have to live?” and learned that he had two to four years left to live.
The memoir opens with a heartbreaking anecdote about learning her fate. Hoy said this fearless portrait is the best way to reach people who are going through similar things.
“I think it's important to show how bad this is,” he said. “There are so many positives that can come from this across the board. I'm really excited about the hope that this book can help people.”
Now all Hoy can do is keep his head up and enjoy every moment he spends with his family.
“I have learned to live in the moment and experience days filled with true joy and happiness,” she said. “This isn't denial or self-deception at all. It's about trying to understand what we can control.”
“Fear and anxiety all come from trying to predict the future. But the future is an abstract concept in our minds. None of us know what will happen. All we know is that we have a limited amount of time on the planet,” he continued. “So it occurred to me, why waste this time? Go ahead, enjoy it, and be grateful for what you have. I'm not saying I'm a Zen master and I control my thoughts. I don't try to act like every day is amazing, but I have moments of real happiness, all the time.” “I'm not going back to my old self.”
Hours after the diagnosis was made public, Hoy was living as if nothing had happened and was working with the BBC sports team to cover the Track Cycling World Championships in Copenhagen. He addressed fans' concerns about the news on Instagram.
“You may see some articles about my health in the news this weekend, so I wanted to reassure you all that I feel fit, strong and positive and am overwhelmed by all the love and support shown to my family and me.” wrote. “Forward!”
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All That Matters: My Toughest Race Yet It comes out on November 7th.