Sir Chris Hoy has encouraged people who have recently been diagnosed with cancer to 'hang on tight' and stay positive.
The Olympian made the comment as he discussed the initial days following his diagnosis, where he admitted he did not think he would ever be happy again.
However, he went on to explain that thanks to the passage of time, as well as support from his loved ones, those darker thoughts are now behind him.
In a message to those who are in the same position he found himself in back in 2023, Sir Chris said: 'It doesn't stay that way forever, and you can get through it. You can't imagine you'll get through it but you will, and it's down to the people around you.
'When it's really bad, you're not looking too far into the future, It's just about getting through the next minute, the next few seconds, those really difficult moments, it's literally almost second to second, and then it becomes minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day.
'I remember the early days and the first few weeks, where I had the first few minutes where I wasn't thinking about it, you sort of get distracted by something, and then you come back and snap back into it.
Sir Chris made the comments asd he promoted his Tour De 4 charity bike ride, which takes place at his namesake velodrome on Sunday, September 7, in Glasgow.
Sir Chris said his diagnosis left him living 'second to second' but that this view later changed
'And then those periods get longer and longer and before you know it, it's just a part of your life and you don't have to be defined by it.'
He added: 'So to anybody who is going through a similar thing, just hang on tight. You'll get through it, it'll get easier. It seems like the worst thing in the world right now, but you can, you can do it.'
Sir Chris made the comments as he launched a new initiative which he hopes will encourage men with prostate cancer to try and be more active to help with their quality of life.
The retired champion track cyclist, who was once Scotland's most successful Olympian, was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2023.
A year later, he was told his condition was terminal and that he had between two and four years to live.
He has now launched a fitness partnership with PureGym, The Institute of Cancer Research, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, in a bid to get men living with the disease to become more active.
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The partnership was launched at a PureGym in Glasgow ahead of Sir Chris' Tour De 4 charity bike ride, which takes place at his namesake velodrome on Sunday, September 7, in Glasgow.
A number of routes are available for participants, including a 92km option, a 60km option, and a 1km, family-friendly route.
The event aims to raise around £1 million, and so far more than £100,000 has been raised.
Sir Chris said: 'Scientific studies have shown that structured exercise is the perfect complement to many cancer treatments, but we need to break down the barriers that often prevent patients getting consistent and regular physical activity to experience these benefits.
'Exercise has been a fundamental part of my life and never more so than since my diagnosis of prostate cancer. I find it hugely encouraging that the importance of exercise for prostate cancer is being recognised. This is a significant step forward and potentially transformative.'
Advanced prostate cancer affects around 20,000 men in the UK every year.
The new partnership will provide men with advanced prostate cancer who are on hormone therapy with a free, one-year membership at PureGym, as well as a structured exercise programme.
Hormone therapy is currently the main treatment, which tends to mean a number of side effects, including weight gain due to an increase in fat, coupled with increased muscle loss.
Fatigue and psychological changes are also common, and long-term hormonal treatment may lead to bone thinning, heart disease and diabetes.
Regular exercise can alleviate these side effects, and the NHS has suggested men with the disease should be offered fitness programmes.
However, it is estimated around a third of men with advanced prostate cancer are completely inactive and only around one in eight meet guideline levels of activity.