Latest news with #AustraliansoftheYear
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Former Australian of the Year Professor Richard Scolyer shares powerful message after grim update on his brain cancer diagnosis
Former Australian of the Year and world-famous cancer expert Professor Richard Scolyer has shared a worrying update about his stage four brain cancer. The 58-year-old was diagnosed with 'incurable' glioblastoma in June 2023 after he suffered headaches and seizures while on holiday. He experienced no signs of cancer reoccurrence for two years following a trial of experimental treatment developed by his colleague and joint Australian of the Year recipient, Professor Georgia Long. The treatment helped him defy a six-month prediction after he was told he was cancer-free last November. However, the following March the tumour returned and the father-of-three was given just months to live. On Monday, Prof Scolyer revealed the glioblastoma in the left side of his brain had progressed as he shared the results of a recent MRI on his Instagram. 'A recent MRI scan showed, in the left side of my brain, further progress of my glioblastoma (IDH wild-type, etc.) and related adjacent reactive change,' he wrote. 'Whilst this may not be the best direction to be heading with my changes, amazingly (to me), I still seem keen to keep living, loving and having fun, whenever possible. 'I feel like there are quite a few people on my team (including my family & friends) and they make me happy & proud!' The professor received a flood of well-wishes on his post. 'Without a doubt you are the most loved and respected man. We all are so proud of you,' one person wrote. 'A legend forever mate. A whole country is on your side,' a second shared. 'You continue to be an inspiration to so many, Richard. Thanks for sharing all the updates, good and bad, we are all with you,' a third said. In March, Prof Scolyer said that while some of his recurrent tumour had been removed, surgeons were unable to remove other parts. 'Unfortunately, there is a larger volume of quickly growing brain cancer in my left brain. The prognosis is poor,' he said on Instagram. He said he wasn't sure how effective the experimental treatment would be, but that he hoped the data produced 'will make a difference for others'. Prof Scolyer and his colleague Professor Long were named Australians of the Year for the thousands of lives they saved in pioneering new treatments for melanoma using immunotherapy. He is a prolific author, having penned more than 700 publications and book chapters on melanoma pathology, which garnered him a reputation as one of the world's leading experts in the field. The 2021 Order of Australia recipient remains philosophical about his journey, stating that he 'just wants to make a difference'. He has been praised for his openness and bravery in documenting his cancer journey. In an emotional interview with Ally Langdon on A Current Affair in March, Prof Scolyer said he was 'not ready to go yet'. 'It's not fair, but there's a lesson for everyone… make the most of every day because you don't know what's around the corner,' he added. The father-of-three recently celebrated his eldest daughter Emily's 21st birthday. 'It was so nice to catch up with friends and family to celebrate her. She is an amazing daughter & we love her so much!' he wrote on Facebook.
The Advertiser
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
From The Seekers to Neale Daniher: seeking the Aussies who make us proud
John Foreman quite likes to engage in a bit of time travel every now and again. The best way, according to the chair of the National Australia Day Council, is to cast his eye over past Australians of the Year, and marvel at the diversity of names and backgrounds. From elite athletes to anti-violence campaigners, doctors to disability advocates, artists to Indigenous elders, the list is a portrait of modern Australia, in any given year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW Folk-pop group The Seekers took the honour back in 1967; four years later, it was Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong. World War II hero Edward "Weary' Dunlop was in 1976, Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan came in 1985. Champion solo sailor Kay Cottee was honoured in 1988, leading painter Arthur Boyd in 1995 and plastic surgeon Fiona Wood in 2005. In 2019, two blokes who enjoyed cave diving found themselves at the centre of a legendary rescue mission of an entire soccer team, and were named joint winners. And the current Australian of the Year is former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, an advocate for motor neurone disease research. It's a list that has told us about Australia at any given time, as do the winners in the Young Australian, Senior Australian and Local Hero categories. READ MORE: Who will you nominate for our next Australian of the Year? And, says Foreman, the list never fails to humble him. "It is really humbling to see the incredible work that is being done by so many people all around Australia," he said. "When you look at the cross section of Australians of the Year, and indeed the broad diversity of Australians who are represented across all four categories each year ... it's a really fantastic snapshot into Australia's cultural, scientific, artistic, sporting and charity and philanthropy worlds. READ MORE "You've got sports people, scientists, charity workers, leaders of communities, people have just given back. And it reminds the world what a great country we are - because of the amazing people that are here." Nominations are now open for the 2026 awards. They must be submitted before July 31. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW "As someone who grew up in the beautiful city of Newcastle, I'm particularly well aware of the fact that there are amazing people in every corner of the country, some of whom go unrecognised," Foreman said. "Some of the people who are nominated for Australian of the Year awards are already household names, like Neale Daniher, was obviously someone all Australians admired. "Other people who've been nominated are not necessarily household names, but they're people who've made a huge difference in their communities and they're people who their nominator has identified as someone who is worthy of recognition." But someone can only be a winner if they're nominated first - maybe by you. John Foreman quite likes to engage in a bit of time travel every now and again. The best way, according to the chair of the National Australia Day Council, is to cast his eye over past Australians of the Year, and marvel at the diversity of names and backgrounds. From elite athletes to anti-violence campaigners, doctors to disability advocates, artists to Indigenous elders, the list is a portrait of modern Australia, in any given year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW Folk-pop group The Seekers took the honour back in 1967; four years later, it was Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong. World War II hero Edward "Weary' Dunlop was in 1976, Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan came in 1985. Champion solo sailor Kay Cottee was honoured in 1988, leading painter Arthur Boyd in 1995 and plastic surgeon Fiona Wood in 2005. In 2019, two blokes who enjoyed cave diving found themselves at the centre of a legendary rescue mission of an entire soccer team, and were named joint winners. And the current Australian of the Year is former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, an advocate for motor neurone disease research. It's a list that has told us about Australia at any given time, as do the winners in the Young Australian, Senior Australian and Local Hero categories. READ MORE: Who will you nominate for our next Australian of the Year? And, says Foreman, the list never fails to humble him. "It is really humbling to see the incredible work that is being done by so many people all around Australia," he said. "When you look at the cross section of Australians of the Year, and indeed the broad diversity of Australians who are represented across all four categories each year ... it's a really fantastic snapshot into Australia's cultural, scientific, artistic, sporting and charity and philanthropy worlds. READ MORE "You've got sports people, scientists, charity workers, leaders of communities, people have just given back. And it reminds the world what a great country we are - because of the amazing people that are here." Nominations are now open for the 2026 awards. They must be submitted before July 31. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW "As someone who grew up in the beautiful city of Newcastle, I'm particularly well aware of the fact that there are amazing people in every corner of the country, some of whom go unrecognised," Foreman said. "Some of the people who are nominated for Australian of the Year awards are already household names, like Neale Daniher, was obviously someone all Australians admired. "Other people who've been nominated are not necessarily household names, but they're people who've made a huge difference in their communities and they're people who their nominator has identified as someone who is worthy of recognition." But someone can only be a winner if they're nominated first - maybe by you. John Foreman quite likes to engage in a bit of time travel every now and again. The best way, according to the chair of the National Australia Day Council, is to cast his eye over past Australians of the Year, and marvel at the diversity of names and backgrounds. From elite athletes to anti-violence campaigners, doctors to disability advocates, artists to Indigenous elders, the list is a portrait of modern Australia, in any given year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW Folk-pop group The Seekers took the honour back in 1967; four years later, it was Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong. World War II hero Edward "Weary' Dunlop was in 1976, Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan came in 1985. Champion solo sailor Kay Cottee was honoured in 1988, leading painter Arthur Boyd in 1995 and plastic surgeon Fiona Wood in 2005. In 2019, two blokes who enjoyed cave diving found themselves at the centre of a legendary rescue mission of an entire soccer team, and were named joint winners. And the current Australian of the Year is former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, an advocate for motor neurone disease research. It's a list that has told us about Australia at any given time, as do the winners in the Young Australian, Senior Australian and Local Hero categories. READ MORE: Who will you nominate for our next Australian of the Year? And, says Foreman, the list never fails to humble him. "It is really humbling to see the incredible work that is being done by so many people all around Australia," he said. "When you look at the cross section of Australians of the Year, and indeed the broad diversity of Australians who are represented across all four categories each year ... it's a really fantastic snapshot into Australia's cultural, scientific, artistic, sporting and charity and philanthropy worlds. READ MORE "You've got sports people, scientists, charity workers, leaders of communities, people have just given back. And it reminds the world what a great country we are - because of the amazing people that are here." Nominations are now open for the 2026 awards. They must be submitted before July 31. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW "As someone who grew up in the beautiful city of Newcastle, I'm particularly well aware of the fact that there are amazing people in every corner of the country, some of whom go unrecognised," Foreman said. "Some of the people who are nominated for Australian of the Year awards are already household names, like Neale Daniher, was obviously someone all Australians admired. "Other people who've been nominated are not necessarily household names, but they're people who've made a huge difference in their communities and they're people who their nominator has identified as someone who is worthy of recognition." But someone can only be a winner if they're nominated first - maybe by you. John Foreman quite likes to engage in a bit of time travel every now and again. The best way, according to the chair of the National Australia Day Council, is to cast his eye over past Australians of the Year, and marvel at the diversity of names and backgrounds. From elite athletes to anti-violence campaigners, doctors to disability advocates, artists to Indigenous elders, the list is a portrait of modern Australia, in any given year. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW Folk-pop group The Seekers took the honour back in 1967; four years later, it was Indigenous tennis champion Evonne Goolagong. World War II hero Edward "Weary' Dunlop was in 1976, Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan came in 1985. Champion solo sailor Kay Cottee was honoured in 1988, leading painter Arthur Boyd in 1995 and plastic surgeon Fiona Wood in 2005. In 2019, two blokes who enjoyed cave diving found themselves at the centre of a legendary rescue mission of an entire soccer team, and were named joint winners. And the current Australian of the Year is former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, an advocate for motor neurone disease research. It's a list that has told us about Australia at any given time, as do the winners in the Young Australian, Senior Australian and Local Hero categories. READ MORE: Who will you nominate for our next Australian of the Year? And, says Foreman, the list never fails to humble him. "It is really humbling to see the incredible work that is being done by so many people all around Australia," he said. "When you look at the cross section of Australians of the Year, and indeed the broad diversity of Australians who are represented across all four categories each year ... it's a really fantastic snapshot into Australia's cultural, scientific, artistic, sporting and charity and philanthropy worlds. READ MORE "You've got sports people, scientists, charity workers, leaders of communities, people have just given back. And it reminds the world what a great country we are - because of the amazing people that are here." Nominations are now open for the 2026 awards. They must be submitted before July 31. CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE NOW "As someone who grew up in the beautiful city of Newcastle, I'm particularly well aware of the fact that there are amazing people in every corner of the country, some of whom go unrecognised," Foreman said. "Some of the people who are nominated for Australian of the Year awards are already household names, like Neale Daniher, was obviously someone all Australians admired. "Other people who've been nominated are not necessarily household names, but they're people who've made a huge difference in their communities and they're people who their nominator has identified as someone who is worthy of recognition." But someone can only be a winner if they're nominated first - maybe by you.
The Guardian
27-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
‘I feel very touched': as his brain cancer recurs, Richard Scolyer finds solace in family, friends and running
Four kilometres into his 242nd parkrun and Richard Scolyer is full of enthusiasm. 'This is great, Kate!' he calls to his wife, Katie Nicoll, behind him.'Thirty-five minutes and we've got 1km to go.' Scolyer, 58, is setting the pace for the couple and a stream of friends who join him for stretches of the 5km run along Hawthorn canal, in Sydney's inner west, on a fresh Easter Saturday morning. They jog for 500m, and then, after a beep from Scolyer's watch, walk for 500m. Nicoll would happily have the walking sections last a little longer – 'I'm not a runner,' she says wryly – but Scolyer pushes his group along. 'A bit further and then we'll walk for a bit,' he calls back. For Scolyer, a 5km parkrun would be a fairly minor feat compared with some of the athletic challenges he has taken on, were it not for the circumstances. The endurance athlete, who has represented Australia at the World Triathlon Multisport Championships, has only just been cleared to jog by his medical team, after brain surgery last month. The surgery – his second in two years – was to investigate the recurrence of a brain tumour he was first diagnosed with in May 2023. The recurrence of the cancer, grade 4 IDH-wildtype glioblastoma, has given him a 'short timetable to live', he says. 'I don't know, no one can really predict it.' How is he feeling today? 'Oh, pretty good. You know, to be truthful, I can feel little bits and pieces that are happening. How much of that is related to the treatment I'm having, how much of it's related to the disease recurrence? I guess in reality it's likely to be both of those things happening at the same time. 'I get scared at different times of how long I've got left and poor Katie has to put up with me getting grumpy.' 'Oh rubbish,' she says affectionately. At the beginning of 2024, Scolyer and Prof Georgina Long, who are joint directors of the Melanoma Institute of Australia at the University of Sydney, took the mantle of joint Australians of the Year, in recognition of their pioneering work developing immunotherapy treatment for melanoma. This treatment has increased survival rates from 5 to 55% for patients with metastatic melanoma over the past 20 years. But for the treatment of brain cancers like his, very little progress has been made in decades. 'The thing about brain cancer is there's nothing that's proven that works on top of the treatments that started 20 years ago, so it brings grief to everyone,' he says. After Scolyer's diagnosis, his colleagues swung into action, Long developing a targeted form of immunotherapy for Scolyer, which he received prior to surgery. Immunotherapy had never been used pre-operatively for brain cancer before and came with considerable risk. Scolyer says he was told that having the treatment could reduce his survival rate by 50%. 'So to go down this risky path, I'm sorry, I'm getting emotional thinking about it,' he says. 'It's been shown to make a big difference in many other cancers … So it's risky, but it felt right to me … There was no proof that it was going to work, but I had hope.' He doesn't regret trying the experimental treatment, saying he's been told by experts that it may have been another 10 years before pre-operative immunotherapy may have been trialled on someone with brain cancer had he not been willing to try it. 'Who knows whether it's made a difference in one patient. There's certainly hope there, but ultimately you need a clinical trial with groups of patients that prove something works before you can go on and try it in a bigger group of patients. And that's what's planned.' Before the recurrence, Scolyer set himself the goal of 250 parkruns. Easter Saturday marks his 242nd. Two of his and Nicoll's three children – Emily, 21, and Matt, 19 (the couple also have 17-year-old Lucy) – are in attendance, running with their friends, as is the family dog, an enthusiastic brown cavoodle named Cha Cha. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter The Haberfield run is his local and he is a clearly beloved member of the community: his jog is punctuated by cheers of encouragement from passing runners, and before the race starts, Scolyer corrals the runners into a 400-person selfie. The warmth from the community has a lot to do with Scolyer's openness in sharing what he has been through. At a time when he would be forgiven for retreating from public view, Scolyer did the opposite, posting on social media about his diagnosis, treatment and life. Initially, he says, this was primarily to keep friends and colleagues around the world updated on how he was doing and to keep a record for his kids. 'I was worried, in 10 years time … my kids, how would they remember me? I felt like I wanted to leave a message.' But his story resonated. Scolyer gets stopped in the street by strangers wishing him well most days. 'I've been surprised how many people are interested,' he says. 'Honestly, I feel very touched that so many people want to reach out.' 'A lot of people have a cancer story,' Nicoll adds. 'I think in a way it gives a voice to what they're going through, what they've been through, and there's some sort of comfort that people can bring each other.' It feels discordant, talking about illness and death in the bright April sunshine, surrounded by laughing people in exercise gear. Right before the race starts, he reflects on the different parts of his life – a meaningful career, a family he adores, friends and hobbies. 'I'd squeeze it all in,' he says. He doesn't regret that. 'We never get [the balance] perfect, but I think they're all very important parts of your life and you should enjoy them. 'None of us are here forever, you never know what's around the corner. With this sort of cancer, I feel fortunate to still be here … whether that's related to the treatment I've had or it's just a fluke, no one knows the answer until a proper clinical trial's been done, but I feel fortunate to still be kicking around.'
