Chris Hoy's wife told she has incurable illness just weeks before his cancer diagnosis

Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sara on the red carpet for the 2017 BBC Sports Personality of The Year
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Sir Chris Hoy has revealed that just weeks before his cancer diagnosis, his wife Sarra, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Sir Chris, one of Britain’s greatest cyclists and Olympians has announced that his cancer is terminal.

He was given a diagnosis last year that he has two to four years left to live. Sir Chris, 48, told The Sunday Times: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature.” He added: “You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.

“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”

A tumour was found in Sir Chris’s shoulder and a second scan found primary cancer in his prostate, which has metastasised to his bones. Tumours have also been found in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and rib and he has been told it is incurable. Sir Chris and his lawyer wife Sarra have two children, seven-year-old Chloe and 10-year-old Callum.

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He recalls Callum, who was then aged nine, asking if he was going to die. Sir Chris told him that no one lives forever, but he hoped, thanks to the medicine, “to be here for many, many years”.

Despite having a very high pain threshold, he has had a violent allergic reaction to the chemotherapy. Some weeks before his cancer diagnosis, his wife Sarra had tests on a tingling sensation in her face and tongue.

Then just before Christmas, it was confirmed she had multiple sclerosis (MS) that was “very active and aggressive” and needed urgent treatment. The couple have not told their children about Sarra’s MS diagnosis.

In February, as he was undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, Sir Chris said he felt “forced” to reveal his cancer diagnosis publicly. At that time, Sir Chris said he was “going really well” and was “optimistic, positive and surrounded by love for which I’m truly grateful” after his diagnosis in 2023.

Sir Chris said he would continue to ride his bike and was looking forward to getting “stuck in” the year ahead, adding: “I am continuing to work, ride my bike and live my life as normal.”

He was awarded his knighthood in 2008 at the same time that his mother Carol, a retired nurse, was recognised with an MBE for her work on sleep-related illnesses.