Sir Chris Hoy opens up on heartbreaking reality of his and wife Sarra's health struggles

Sir Chris Hoy has spoken of the heartwarming way he and his wife, Sarra, are helping each other during their struggles as they both fight serious conditions. In October, the Olympic hero revealed he was terminally ill with cancer, having first been diagnosed in September 2023.

While he was undergoing chemotherapy, Sarra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Hoy later called her “selfless”, and spoke openly about the difficulties the pair faced in telling their two young children about their ordeals. The 49-year-old has now given an insight into their new home life and how they’ve remained positive.

“We support each other,” he told The Times. “Because when she’s feeling strong and if I’m feeling low then she is unmovable and she will not crumble.

“She’ll talk me round and she’ll make me feel better, and hopefully she would say the same in reverse when she isn’t having such a great time. It’s very rare that we’re both in the pit together. It’s kind of one at a time. That’s the unofficial rule.”

Hoy and his wife have been widely praised for their courage in dealing with their harrowing situation. He’s continued to work for the BBC and make public appearances, presenting the match ball for Scotland's Six Nations clash with Ireland in Edinburgh last February.

The Scot also spoke about his organisational work for the Tour de 4, a mass participation cycling event that will culminate at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. He wants the event to involve as many stage four cancer sufferers as possible, to help raise awareness and also emphasise that you can remain active with the condition.

“The aim is to bring that community together,” he said. “We need to change the perceptions of what a stage four diagnosis can look like. I hope it’s going to be a really positive, uplifting day that, while I never imagined would need to exist off the back of the diagnosis I’ve had, it’s something to really look forward to.”

Hoy said he was initially given a timeframe of two to four years to live by specialists. However, he’s vowed to try and defy that diagnosis, citing evolving cancer treatments.