Richard Scolyer, cancer researcher and former Australian of the year, dies aged 59
Richard Scolyer, the melanoma expert and former Australian of the Year, has died at 59 after a battle with aggressive brain cancer.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The Guardian reports that Prof Richard Scolyer has died after being diagnosed in 2023 with grade-four inoperable brain cancer. His family shared a final message in which he thanked Australians for their support and said he hoped his story had made the path easier for others.
Richard Scolyer was a famous doctor who studied skin cancer and later fought a serious brain cancer. It was like a top mechanic trying to fix his own broken car while teaching others how engines work. People admired his courage and kindness.
Analysis
Who he was
Richard Scolyer was a world-renowned pathologist and melanoma specialist who, alongside Georgina Long, was jointly named Australian of the Year in 2024 for work on immunotherapy as a cure for advanced melanoma. The article says he also received the New South Wales Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research nine times and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2021.
His illness and treatment
Scolyer was diagnosed in May 2023 with grade-four inoperable brain cancer and was told he had six to eight months to live. The piece says he then became the subject of a world-first attempt to slow the disease through novel immunotherapy treatment. That approach did slow the glioblastoma for a time, before the cancer returned in early 2025.
In March, he told followers on Facebook that the cancer had progressed. The Guardian quotes him as writing that it was “not the best day ever,” while saying it was not “the end of the road” and that he still had more to do.
What his family and leaders said
Before his final stages of illness, Scolyer prepared a statement for his family to share. In it, he thanked Australians for their “love and support” and said he hoped his legacy would be to inspire others to pursue their dreams with humility, love and compassion.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the world had lost “one of our brightest lights and one of our biggest hearts” and confirmed that Scolyer will be mourned at a state funeral. Sydney University’s John Thompson praised his “cheery, down-to-earth” personality and said his career had helped countless cancer patients worldwide.
Key points
- Richard Scolyer has died at age 59 after living with grade-four inoperable brain cancer.
- He was a leading melanoma researcher and was jointly named Australian of the Year in 2024 with Georgina Long.
- The article says he took part in a world-first experimental immunotherapy approach that slowed the tumour before it returned.
- His family shared a final message thanking Australians for their support and saying he hoped to inspire others.
- Anthony Albanese said Scolyer will be honoured with a state funeral.
Scolyer’s case may continue to encourage research into immunotherapy and other treatments for aggressive cancers. The article suggests his public journey already helped many people understand hope, research, and persistence in the face of a hard diagnosis.
The cancer returned after an initial slowing, showing how difficult glioblastoma remains to treat even with experimental approaches. His death also underlines the limits of current options for patients with grade-four inoperable brain cancer.
