The 11 times Cycling World Champion and six times Olympic gold medallist has openly talked about his incurable cancer, which has spread from his prostate. Yet, he is single-minded in his determination to find hope and happiness on this last home straight.
What a wealth of empathy, sympathy, support and raw awe has greeted Sir Chris’s openness, honesty, courage and character in being so straight about his prognosis.
And what a heavy weight the Hoy family bear, including Chris’s wife, Sarra Kemp’s debilitating Multiple Sclerosis.
Our hearts go out to Chris, Sarra, their son Callum, 10, and daughter Chloe, seven, and wider family, for however determined one is to make the most of time left, there is the accompanying pain, grief and sorrow.
Telling his kids about his cancer over dinner was one of the hardest things Chris has had to do and the time between letting the public know of his treatment for cancer and the recent admission that he is terminally ill with (according to doctors) two to four years to live, will have given him and his family and close friends time to process a gamut of emotions which help us to wrestle with such scary reality.
Let’s not be deceived by how positive Sir Chris is about his fight with cancer and aim to celebrate life and living to the finishing line. And here’s where faith can breed a hope for not just a legend of legacy left behind but also the future of a brand new spiritual body and existence beyond the grave.
Do you know that it was ‘Greg’ cycling across the skyline with ET on his BMX bike 42 years ago which got Sir Chris first excited about cycling?
That, along with representing many worthy causes, he has a passion to support people in their mental health, that he’s won numerous car races, and written two children’s books ‘Flying Fergus’ and ‘Be Amazing!’?
I’ve quoted this Bible passage several times lately, but it resonates so strongly with Sir Chris’s character and positivity.
I don’t know where Sir Chris stands re-faith, but I believe it is likely that sacrificial Love has been poured into his heart and proved a major influence and inspiration in his life, not least the love of family and friends.
May God’s deep Love for you as a his ‘precious child’ help you to rise to the challenges and opportunities of life.
Peace and hope (Romans 5:1-4 / NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And this hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
