‘Everything is awful’ – Chris Hoy’s wife Sarra opens up about his terminal cancer diagnosis & makes tragic admission
SIR Chris Hoy's wife has opened up about the Olympic legend's battle with terminal cancer and her own health struggles.
Cycling and Team GB icon Hoy, 48, revealed that he's battling terminal prostate cancer in a brave Instagram post last year.
Shortly after, his wife Lady Sarra Hoy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis - a condition that affects the brain and nerves.
In an intimate conversation with ITV's Lorraine, she spoke of the challenges the couple had faced over the past two years.
Lady Sarra said: "You just don't sleep, everything is awful.
"It was about trying to control what I could, and I just thought, I can't do anything about cancer, I can't do anything about MS [Multiple Sclerosis], I can't control any of that.
"What can I do? What can I help? What can I change?"
She told how they both had to dig deep amid the mental anguish as they both refused to be bowed by their circumstances.
Lady Sarra added: "When everything is spiralling just to stop and say, 'right now, we're safe, the children are safe, this can't define us. We will not become the victims of this.
"With kids you don't get a chance, there's no time to stop and have a day in bed, you just don't get that opportunity.
"So yes, the children are everything for us and our family that surrounds us are everything."
Opening up about how she is coping, Sarra said: "It's been okay and I think people are really surprised to know that you can sort of be okay, and I think that's definitely what's helped us get through."
The candid conversation took place on ITV's 'Lorraine' as part of the show's March4March campaign.
The campaign aims to encourage movement and exercise to improve mental health
Six-time gold medallist Hoy was diagnosed with cancer two years ago before revealing the news to the public in 2024.
The Olympic legend was diagnosed with cancer in late 2023 after he sought treatment for a strain in his shoulder.
After undergoing scans, it was found the cycling great had a tumour in his shoulder and cancer in his prostate.
The prostate cancer then metastasised to his bones as doctors soon found tumours in his shoulder, pelvis, spine and ribs.
He brought Murrayfield to a standstill as the crowd rose to its feet for a standing ovation last month.
Since going public, Hoy has spearheaded several initiatives to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
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His Tour de 4 Ride campaign aims to help to change the perception of people living with stage four cancer.
Sir Chris also presented the the Ballon d’Art trophy to Luke Littler a few days before the teen was crowed world champ in January.
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer affects a small, walnut shaped gland that sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra - the tube carrying pee outside the body.
It usually grows bigger as you get older.
The prostate's main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.
Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have any signs or symptoms - that’s why it’s important to know about your risk.
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
If you do notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which is very common and non-cancerous.
But it’s still a good idea to get it checked out.
In the UK, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Some factors may mean you're more likely to get it.
This includes:
- Getting older – it mainly affects men aged 50 or over
- Having a family history of prostate cancer
- Being Black
If you have any of these risk factors or if you have any symptoms, speak to your GP.
They can talk to you about your risk, and about the tests that are used to diagnose prostate cancer.
Source: Prostate Cancer UK
