Meet Professor Richard Scolyer, the scientist who just completed his 250th Parkrun while battling terminal brain cancer
Australian pathologist and 2024 Australian of the Year, Professor
Richard Scolyer
, completed his 250th
Parkrun
on June 14 at Haberfield's Greenway Reserve in Sydney's inner west. A crowd of almost 600 family, friends, and locals cheered as
Scolyer
finished alongside his wife, Katie Nicoll. Moments later, rain cleared to reveal a rainbow arching over the park—a symbol of hope for many.
Just two years ago, in 2023, Professor Richard Scolyer was diagnosed with
Glioblastoma
, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of
brain cancer
. The kind of diagnosis that comes with limited options and even fewer hopes.
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He underwent experimental
immunotherapy
, the same used in melanoma treatment, which delayed progression for nearly two years. In March 2025, doctors confirmed a recurrence and gave him just months to live.
But Scolyer, never one to back down, didn't just submit to the odds. He turned his life and illness into a global scientific experiment.
Live Events
Completing the Parkrun milestone, Scolyer said he doubted he would make it. He praised the turnout and the supportive atmosphere, saying, 'One of the challenges of having cancer is the worry for the future, but there's more to life.'.
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Who is Richard Scolyer?
Professor Richard Anthony Scolyer, born December 16, 1966, in Launceston, Tasmania, is a world-leading melanoma researcher. He is a senior specialist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a Conjoint Professor at the
University of Sydney
.
Scolyer co-leads the
melanoma research
program at the
Melanoma Institute Australia
. He has authored over 700 publications and was the world's No. 10 publisher in melanoma research in 2019.
He earned an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2021 and, with Professor Georgina Long, was named Australian of the Year in 2024. In 2025, he won the Social Impact Book of the Year award for Brainstorm, co-written with Garry Maddox.
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For Richard, the event was deeply emotional. His wife Katie, who began running with him post-diagnosis, recorded her personal best. Their daughter Emily said the run and the rainbow felt guided by a higher force. Hundreds of supporters celebrated with cupcakes and balloons spelling '250'.
He hinted at another walking or cycling option, possibly returning to the City2Surf 15 km run.
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