Sir Chris Hoy’s spouse Sarra is battling MS, Olympic champion reveals
Sir Chris Hoy’s has revealed his wife Sarra is battling ‘very active and aggressive’ MS in the wake of his terminal cancer diagnosis.
In his bombshell memoir, the Olympian detailed how his wife’s devastating diagnosis was delivered only weeks after he discovered he had cancer.
Sir Hoy’s wife, who has ‘got him through it all’ over the last 14-years, was ordered to have a scan by her GP after she began to experience a tingling sensation in her face and tongue.
It later emerged she had MS (multiple sclerosis) – a degenerative disease for which there is no cure.
The revelation about her tragic health prognosis comes as the gold-medal cyclist has divulged that his cancer is terminal and that he has just ‘two to four years’ left to live.
Sir Chris Hoy’s has revealed his wife Sarra (Pictured) is battling ‘very active and aggressive’ MS in the wake of his terminal cancer diagnosis
The Olympian revealed that the devastating news was delivered only weeks after he discovered he had cancer (Pictured: Sarra and Sir Chris Hoy)
Sir Chris has previously praised his senior lawyer wife, who he says has been there for him ‘through it all’
Despite receiving her results in the November, in the midst of the anguish of the 48-year-old’s diagnosis, Sarra did inform him of her own prognosis until December.
Sarra, 40, worked as a senior lawyer before the couple, who married in Edinburgh in 2010, had their two children, Callum, nine, and Chloe, six.
On the more difficult days, she finds it a challenge to fit her key in the door, but has remained positive, continuing to run and attend gym classes, according to Sir Hoy.
‘It’s the closest I’ve come to, like, you know, why me? Just, what? What’s going on here? It didn’t seem real. It was such a huge blow,’ he told the Times of his wife’s MS diagnosis.
‘When you’re already reeling. You think nothing could possibly get worse. You literally feel like you’re at rock bottom, and you find out, oh no, you’ve got further to fall. It was brutal.’
Sarra’s outlook has remained enthusiastic despite the serious health challenges the pair have faced whilst raising their children.
He told the publication: ‘She says all the time, ‘How lucky are we?’
”We both have incurable illnesses for which there is some treatment. Not every disease has that. It could be a lot worse’.’
Prior to his interview with the publication, very few people knew of his wife’s condition.
Sir Chris pictured in 2012 winning the Men’s Keirin final in Melbourne, with his wife Sarra Hoy
Sarra – who has multiple sclerosis – and Sir Chris are the proud parents of two children
Two of Hoy’s six Olympic gold medals were won on home soil in 2012 at the London Games
Hoy pictured celebrating after winning the gold medal final of the men’s keirin event in 2012
Hoy pictured in 2012 during the final of the men’s keirin track event at Lee Valley Velodrome
Hoy was knighted by King Charles (left), when the monarch was serving as the Prince of Wales
Hoy added that he had told his children that no-one lives forever but defiantly proclaimed that he hoped to ‘be here for many, many more years’.
In his brave interview, he said: ‘As unnatural as it feels, this is nature. 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.’
Describing it as ‘double-edged sword’, he explained that his children make their prognosis more painful as they are reminded of what is at stake.
However he affirms that his doting children help him appreciate ‘each day and get through [him] those difficult moments.’
The 48-year-old – who won six Olympic gold medals for Team GB between 2004 and 2012 – revealed in February that he had been diagnosed with cancer.
In a statement published to Instagram, Hoy described himself as ‘optimistic’ and ‘positive’.
However, he announced this week in an interview with The Times that his cancer was terminal – and that he had known this for over a year. Despite this, Hoy insists that he still feels very ‘lucky’.
Sir Hoy’s cancer was discovered after a trip to the doctor in September last year when the Scot was feeling a strain in his shoulder.
A tumour was then discovered in his shoulder, before a second scan located the primary cancer in his prostate.
Sir Chris Hoy, pictured in 2012 after winning two gold medals at the Olympic Games in London, has revealed that his cancer is terminal
Hoy pictured posing for a photo while attending a cycling final at this year’s Olympic Games
The prostate cancer had spread to Hoy’s bones – getting into his shoulder, pelvis, spine and ribs.
Sir Hoy was knighted in 2008 while he was still an active athlete.
His royal recognition came shortly after he became the first British male Olympian in 100 years to win three gold medals at one Games.
Sir Hoy – who won his first Olympic gold in 2004 – added two more at London 2012 before announcing his retirement from cycling in 2013.
Despite his diagnosis, Sir Hoy remains very active.
Earlier this month, he took part in a Peligoni’s wellness week event as part of PACE October that involved seven bike rides over five days in Greece.
