One of Scotland's sporting heroes is to put on hold potentially life-saving surgery for cancer to compete in the 2015 Rio Paralympics.
Paralympian David Smith is hoping that a tumour he has been diagnosed with does not grow in the last 8mm of spinal cord he has free of the disease.
"I am living life with a 8 millimetre of hope," admitted the Team GB cyclist.
Smith, from Aviemore, said he had been reduced to tears by his decision, but he had to pursue medal success in Brazil next summer.
As he prepared for Team GB at the London 2012 games, he was diagnosed with a rare tumour on his spinal column.
He underwent surgery twice before battling back to regain his fitness to make the start-line for the 2012 Paralympic Games, culminating in a gold medal in the mixed coxed four.
He retired from rowing and forged success in a new discipline: cycling. Then, last year he found out the tumour had returned and he faced surgery once more.
Smith was told he had a one in 500 chance of survival.
He was also warned he could be paralysed from the neck down, that he could lose both lungs or function in both of his hands and, if the surgery was successful, there was a 68 per cent chance the tumour would return.
His surgeon told him his cycling career was over. But Smith set himself a goal of riding up France's Mont Ventoux to show that he could compete again.
Manchester-based Smith told his fans: "I have 8 millimetres left inside my cord for the tumour to grow before it would cut off my cord and I would face loosing my lungs and stop breathing along with full paralysis.
"I have decided not to have surgery right now and live my life for the next 11 months chasing my dream of cycling in Rio. I am living life with a 8 millimetre of hope. The hope that it won't grow fast and allow me to train and enjoy my life for one more year before I go back into surgery."
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