Family\u00a0and friends of former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer have paid tribute to the pioneering cancer specialist, following his death after a three-year battle with an aggressive brain cancer.<\/p>\n
Professor Scolyer died at the age of 59 after a battle with glioblastoma, which he was diagnosed with in May 2023. <\/p>\n
Following his glioblastoma diagnosis, Professor Scolyer, who was named co-Australian of the Year in 2024 alongside colleague Georgina Long, underwent a world-first treatment that they pioneered in treating melanomas. <\/p>\n
In a tribute program aired on Channel 9 on Monday, Professor Scolyer\u2019s wife Katie Nicoll said he wanted to live life to the fullest and was always devoted to his family.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a real zest for life, (an) enthusiasm to give something a go, and I guess that\u2019s carried through his whole life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was very involved with the little things (with the kids) \u2013 packing sandwiches up, if they\u2019re heading out for the day on a bike ride or something like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Nicoll added the legacy her husband leaves behind is simple, but powerful.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis legacy is (for people) to get out there and have a go and do what you can.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever that is, give it a go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professor Scolyer\u2019s children also shared precious memories of their dad.<\/p>\n
His daughter Emily said he always made his family his number-one priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though he had such a busy life, he made the time to do something together that was important to us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaking up for swimming training at 5am, Dad was always there to drive us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daughter Lucy said she was grateful the world got to know what her dad was truly like.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know how great my dad is, and now everyone gets to see that too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Professor Scolyer\u2019s friend Jim Finlay said he recommended getting a melanoma spot checked out thoroughly, which he said \u201csaved his life\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a melanoma on my ear, and I had it looked at and everyone (said it was) okay, but he saw it and said, \u2018you\u2019ve got to go see a doctor\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe saved my life. That\u2019s a symptom of our friendship that I\u2019m still here.\u201d<\/p>\n
He died while in palliative care at Concord in Sydney\u2019s west, Chris O\u2019Brien Lifehouse patient advocate Gail O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n
Professor Scolyer\u2019s brother-in-law Chris Nicholl said the 59-year-old died peacefully surrounded by loved ones. <\/p>\n
\u201cRichard was passionate, talented, selfless and loyal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis family meant everything to him, and his passing has left a big hole in our lives. <\/p>\n
He said Professor Scolyer\u2019s life was \u201ccommitted to science, medicine and his world-leading research into fighting melanoma\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an exceptional communicator and one of the world\u2019s leading experts in his field, travelling the world to share his work and push the research forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it was in May 2023 when Professor Scolyer\u2019s first symptoms of brain cancer appeared. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was three years ago, just after presenting at a conference in Poland, that Richard first experienced his own symptoms of cancer,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut rather than just accepting the terminal prognosis, he provided the same driven, interrogating, science-based attitude to his own cancer battle.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the 59-year-old \u201ccandidly\u201d shared his own experience with the \u201cworld-first treatment\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe challenged conventions, pursued funding, and for three years, while suffering through illness and impacts of his treatment, he rose daily without complaint and committed passionately to this cause.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Nicholl said his brother-in-law was \u201ccourageous\u201d and \u201cbrave\u201d, who worked tirelessly to ensure others battling cancer never felt alone. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an inspiration to many thousands around the world,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cRichard was a great mentor to his children, who all share his and Katie\u2019s thirst for knowledge and energy for life. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey were, and remain, Richard\u2019s biggest champions.\u201d <\/p>\n
State funeral confirmed for \u2018extraordinary\u2019 Professor Scolyer<\/p>\n
Anthony Albanese described Professor Scolyer as one of the country\u2019s \u201cbrightest lights\u201d and \u201cone of our biggest hearts\u201d, and confirmed that Professor Scolyer would receive a state funeral.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hearts of all Australians go out to his wife, Dr Katie Nicholl, who I spoke with this morning and offered a state funeral for Professor Scolyer, which has been accepted,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt also goes to their children, who they love so dearly, Emily, Matthew, and Lucy, Richard\u2019s mother and father in Tasmania, brother Mark.\u201d <\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Albanese said: \u201cIn his final letter, he left us with an incredible insight into what an extraordinary character he was. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he wanted to be remembered as a proud everyday Aussie who gave it a crack but did so with humility, love, and compassion,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe says this in his final letter: We all have a responsibility to try to change the future for others and leave the world a better place. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe world is a better place because of Richard Scolyer\u2019s contribution. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a contribution that will go on through the work done in his name but also the work that he has done, which advanced the cause of finding a cure in such a practical way. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe continued to work right up until the very end, until it was impossible, but spent, as I spoke with Katie this morning, his final days with family still in good humour and with the strength, determination, and character that defined what is an extraordinary legacy. <\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, Mr Albanese said \u201cwe have lost one of our brightest lights and one of our biggest hearts\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the joint 2024 Australian of the Year, Professor Scolyer took his place in the national spotlight with determination and purpose as he very publicly dealt with his glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer,\u201d Mr Albanese wrote. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day, this remarkable man \u2013 the cancer specialist who became his own subject \u2013 took us into his confidence, and he lifted us all in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Albanese said Professor Scolyer\u2019s journey was \u201cdifficult and confronting\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019My uncertain path\u2019, as he termed it with characteristic understatement,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cYet it was one he travelled with courage, determination, and a grace that never ceased to be remarkable. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he shared it with us was an act of profound generosity. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe showed us what it means to hope and to keep searching for solutions. He showed us how to stand firm against fear and stay true to yourself.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Richard\u2019s journey is done, yet his legacy will always be with us. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe recently established Richard Scolyer Chair at the Chris O\u2019Brien Lifehouse proudly bears his name. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd one day when a cure is found, Richard\u2019s name will be spoken.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hearts of all Australians go out to his wife, Dr Katie Nicholl, and their children, Emily, Matthew and Lucy. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd may Richard Scolyer rest in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tributes flow for former Australian of the Year<\/p>\n
In an online statement, former co-Australian of the Year winner Georgina Long said Professor Scolyer was a \u201ccherished\u201d colleague. <\/p>\n
\u201cI am deeply saddened to lose such a cherished colleague. Richard was a truly extraordinary pathologist \u2013 the \u2018pathologists\u2019 pathologist\u2019 \u2013 who also made generous time for clinicians navigating complex diagnostic cases, understanding that an accurate tissue diagnosis was critical to patient care,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHis knowledge was vast, his skill exceptional, with an unparalleled eye for accurate tissue diagnoses, and the precision to apply decades of experience where it mattered most.<\/p>\n
Professor Long said the 59-year-old \u201cshared his expertise widely\u201d through \u201cconsultation on external specimens\u201d and \u201cdiagnostic and classification frameworks now used worldwide\u201d, as well as working as a \u201cdevoted teacher and mentor\u201d.<\/p>\n
NSW Premier Chris Minns said Professor Scolyer was a \u201cgreat Australian, a pioneering scientist, and an inspiring example of grace in his final years\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of Richard\u2019s brilliant research, advanced melanoma went from a death sentence to a curable disease,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs a result of that breakthrough, in a country with the highest melanoma rates on earth, thousands of Australians are alive today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Minns said the country \u201cgot to know Richard as a man of warmth and hope\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe faced his disease with optimism, with a smile, and with a deep sense of purpose,\u201c he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust a few months ago, living with stage 4 brain cancer, he was still riding his bike through Tasmania, raising money for a cure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the end, life is the ultimate legacy. And thanks to Richard Scolyer, Australians have been given more life, more time, more hope.<\/p>\n
Our thoughts are with Richard\u2019s loved ones. He will be deeply missed.<\/p>\n
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said Professor Scolyer \u201cdedicated his life to cancer research becoming one of the world\u2019s leading researchers in melanoma, improving the health outcomes of so many for generations to come\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am so proud that to say that his work in the NSW health system including at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, formed just one chapter in his illustrious career,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis legacy will remain in the lives changed and saved. My thoughts are with his family, loved ones and colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to Today, Ms O\u2019Brien said Professor Scolyer\u2019s battle with cancer was \u201chuge\u201d, especially in the public eye.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a huge battle, you know, personal loss and grief as well,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Ms O\u2019Brien said his family would \u201chave to make some very big decisions about how Richard is remembered\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think this morning they will be surrounded by their family from Tasmania and that will keep them buoyed,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
National Australia Day Council chair Nikki Govan and interim chief executive Todd Ashurst said they were \u201cdeeply saddened\u201d by Professor Scolyer\u2019s death. <\/p>\n
\u201cRichard led an extraordinary life and demonstrated incredible bravery that will improve the lives of others \u2013 the true hallmark of an Australian of the Year,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an inspiration to us all, pioneering melanoma treatment, and through his own cancer journey \u2013 a legacy that will have a lasting impact on all Australians.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been our privilege to honour his contribution.<\/p>\n
\u2018Gave it a crack\u2019<\/p>\n
In an open letter published at midnight, Professor Scolyer said he wished to be \u201cremembered as a proud everyday Aussie who \u2018gave it a crack\u2019\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy fellow Australians,\u201d he began the letter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI pen this letter as a final goodbye to all those I have had the immense privilege of loving, sharing life\u2019s adventures with, working alongside and meeting during what can only be described as a life filled with happiness, optimism, opportunity and passion.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy intention is for this letter to be published upon my passing \u2013 as my final farewell.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve spent the last three years being open and honest about my journey with glioblastoma (brain cancer), in part to be transparent about what cancer patients and their families go through, and in part to provide hope and inspiration that we can and should continue to push boundaries to propel the cancer field forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving dedicated my 35-year working life to patient care, cancer research and improving lives, I wanted to keep contributing, even in my darkest hour.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am extremely proud of my impact \u2013 from my lifelong career as a world-leading melanoma pathologist and cancer researcher to being the first patient to receive experimental brain cancer treatment based on melanoma science I helped develop, followed by participation in development of a brain cancer clinical trial and advocacy for greater investment in brain cancer research.<\/p>\n
\u201cI sincerely hope the scientific data and awareness I have generated will provide a platform for others to build upon to ultimately make a difference for future cancer patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am perhaps lucky that the physical and cognitive impacts of the final stages of brain cancer mean that I am unlikely to have been aware of my own decline over these final weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI write this knowing that my wonderful family would have been by my side every minute, as they have been throughout my cancer journey. Like all families living with cancer, the impacts have been far wider than just on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince my diagnosis in May 2023, our family has been thrown challenges that we didn\u2019t plan or want. But those same challenges have also drawn us closer and reinforced that family is everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot thank my beautiful wife Katie and my adored children Emily, Matthew and Lucy enough for their love, their support, their strength, and their compassion. They are shining examples of the best of humanity and make me extremely proud.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch love also to my elderly mum and dad in Tasmania, my brother Mark and many friends for their strength and support particularly during these recent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy childhood was full of adventures built on \u201chow\u201d, not \u201cif\u201d, which set me on a path to being inquisitive and truly believing nothing is impossible.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you will allow me one final indulgence, composing this letter encouraged me to reflect proudly on my role in generating new evidence ultimately leading to lifesaving advances in melanoma diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI helped start what is now the world\u2019s largest melanoma biobank, became the world\u2019s most published melanoma pathologist authoring over 1000 research publications, and lectured hundreds of times at conferences across the globe.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am also proud to have held leadership roles at the American Joint Committee on Cancer and the World Health Organisation and many other international organisations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition to my roles in the development of breakthroughs in melanoma treatment, including immunotherapy, and the subsequent soaring of advanced melanoma survival rates, my mentoring of the next generation of clinical doctors (including pathologists) and cancer researchers has perhaps been the greatest reward to come from my lifework.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always been driven by the belief that we all have a responsibility to try to change the future for others and leave the world a better place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was incredibly humbled when the federal government recently named the chair in Brain Cancer Research at the Chris O\u2019Brien Lifehouse in my honour.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch public accolades have never sat entirely comfortably with me, but I am delighted that much-needed brain cancer research will continue to be funded long after I have gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo my research and clinical colleagues, I implore you to stay inquisitive and brave and keep striving to break new ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo all cancer patients, I encourage you to consider enrolling in research and clinical trials, if on offer. And to government and the wider community, please keep funding science and medical research. This is the most impactful way that you too can make a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps the greatest lesson to come from these last three years is that cancer does not define us.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt may be the current road we are travelling, but it is not our entire journey. A terminal cancer diagnosis does however provide clarity as to what truly matters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shines a spotlight on the importance of relationships, on true friendship and on selflessness. Whilst cancer may not define us, our ability to empathise with and have compassion towards others does.<\/p>\n
He issued a final message to Australians. <\/p>\n
\u201cThankyou for your outpouring of love and support for me and my family,\u201d he wrote. <\/p>\n
\u201cThose of you I met during my travels as joint 2024 Australian of the Year, my amazing online community which spans many countries, and of course my hometown Tasmanians \u2013 you\u2019ve laughed with me, cried with me, and provided encouragement and support to keep going just when I needed it most.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t sugar-coated my journey and I sincerely thank you for allowing me the space and opportunity to share it with you, warts and all.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope I have in some small way made the road ahead easier and smoother for others.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf my legacy was to continue beyond these words, I would be delighted and humbled to be remembered as a proud everyday Aussie who \u2018gave it a crack\u2019 and, in doing so, inspired others to pursue their dreams and passions with humility, love and compassion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith much love and gratitude, Richard.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Family\u00a0and friends of former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer have paid tribute to the pioneering cancer specialist,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":723639,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[64,63,447,134,187436],"class_list":["post-723638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment","tag-newswire-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=723638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/723639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=723638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=723638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=723638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}