Chris Hoy has said that his "breath has been taken away" by the response to his announcement that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, with NHS England reported a 672% increase in visits to their prostate cancer symptoms website.
The six-time Olympic champion announced at the weekend that he has been given between two and four years to live after scans found tumours in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and ribs last year.
In the 48 hours after revealing the news in an interview with the Sunday Times, NHS England reported 14,478 visits to their prostate cancer symptoms website, up on 1,876 in the previous week. Visits to the page peaked last Sunday with 8,816, the equivalent of one every 10 seconds.
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"I've been utterly blown by the love and support that we've received this week following my announcement that my cancer is stage 4," Hoy said in an Instagram post.
"I understand there has been a massive increase in men seeking advice about prostate cancer in the last few days and that's been a huge comfort to us, to know that hopefully many lives could be saved by early testing."
Hoy's wife, Sarra, also wrote that the news had "[taken] my breath away", adding that "Chris's story is likely to save countless lives" with the news raising awareness of symptoms for thousands of people around the UK.
"Life is wonderful. We are excited about the future," Sarra Hoy wrote. "We have so many more adventures planned…. And I am so fortunate to get to do it all with Chris Hoy – the most incredible person I've ever met.
"Watching him on the BBC at the weekend was like watching a masterclass in strength of character, dignity and humility. I've said it before, and I'll say it again- he truly is my real-life superhero."
In the accompanying video on his Instagram post, Hoy said that the news has "[reminded] us that all we have is now, not the past, not the future, but where we are in this moment."
He also spoke about how he and his family "now have a deep resolve to turn this incredibly difficult diagnosis into something more positive that can help not just me but anyone anywhere living with stage 4."
Hoy also spoke about his upcoming book, All That Matters, which will be released on November 7, and a charity fundraising bike ride named 'Tour de 4', which will take place in 2025.
"As the video explains, I’ve written a book called All That Matters – it's about how we've coped with the diagnosis and found hope and the resolve to keep pushing on," Hoy wrote. "I'm really proud of it and I hope it can help anyone facing any sort of challenge in their life, not just cancer.
"It's also been a chance to spread the word about my charity event taking place next year called 'Tour de 4'. I can’t wait to tell you more about this in due course."
