Sir Chris Hoy is spearheading a campaign – The BIGGER 180 – that'll aim to get men checked for early symptoms of prostate cancer.
The six-time Olympic champion broke the devastating news of his terminal cancer diagnosis back in October as he revealed he's been given two to four years to live. The 48-year-old has been open in discussing his journey, from initially being diagnosed with cancer to being told his heartbreaking prognosis.
In his attempt to get more men being checked for symptoms of prostate cancer, Hoy is backing a campaign led by Prostate Cancer UK, in partnership with PDC World Darts Championship Paddy Power, where he'll make a special appearance at Alexandra Palace to present the Ballon d’Art trophy.
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The Scotsman has been asked to hand over the prestigious award to the player who hits the most 180s at the tournament, which was won by reigning champion Luke Humphries last season.
Discussing the importance of being checked early for any symptoms, Hoy spoke of his own experience of one indicator that he said if it had been checked earlier may have changed his prognosis. "All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs," he told the BBC earlier this year.
"[This] ache and pain didn't go away. I assumed it was going to be tendonitis or something, and it was just going to be lay off weights or lay off cycling for a wee while and get some treatment and it'll be fine. If sharing my story gets just one person to check their risk or book a screening, then it’s all been worth it," the Edinburgh native said of the campaign, The BIGGER 180.
"I didn’t have any symptoms until it was too late. By the time I felt pain, it wasn’t in my prostate anymore – it was secondary cancer in my bones. If I’d thought to check earlier, maybe I’d have caught it in time. That’s why this campaign is so important – so others don’t end up in the same situation."
Hoy admitted that the Ally Pally surroundings is the "perfect place" for the campaign to reach thousands of men. "Sport is where men connect, laugh, and bond," he said.
"It’s also the perfect place to deliver an important message: Don’t wait, act now. If we can get blokes talking about their health at Ally Pally, between pints and 180s, then we’ve already won."
