Sir Chris Hoy's terminal cancer response

Great Britain's Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy has publicly revealed that his cancer is terminal. An interview with the Sunday Times has been widely quoted. He said that doctors told him he has between two and four years to live, but he was "feeling fit, strong and positive". He also 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."

The UK Government's Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg he was "in awe" of Sir Chris's courage, positivity and "wonderful message of hope", adding that the "whole nation will be cheering him on now" and sending love.

These words seemed to echo a general wave of public warmth, support, and admiration for Hoy's terminal cancer response, and how he has accepted the news.

So why did I feel faintly uncomfortable about it?

Because of the subtle tang of judgement left hanging in the air, that this is the most graceful and correct way of processing such news. Was that a faint aroma of toxic positivity? Or was it my oversensitivity?

Anyone receiving such a sledgehammer blow has the right to feel any emotion they want, including depressed and angry, grief-stricken for themselves.

An acceptance and peace with death is a wonderful thing, to which we might all ultimately aspire. But if Hoy had chosen not to give an interview, to recede from public view into private anonymity, feeling bitter or even furious with the cards dealt to him, that should not have been respected any more or less.

Although it seems that it probably would have been respected less.

The media reception seems like an advocation of dignified manner, of an 'ordered' response, or a blueprint for how we all ought to accept the news of our imminent premature demise, should it ever come.

It could be worth sparing a thought for anyone receiving similar news around the same time this story was breaking, and how they might have experienced uncomfortable feelings. Oh, I should probably respond like Chris Hoy, but I can't escape the feeling of being utterly screwed and devastated for myself and my family. Sorry if that's wrong. 

It's absolutely not wrong. No emotional response is wrong.