Richard Scolyer to receive state funeral as Anthony Albanese leads national tributes

The Prime Minister and other prominent Australians have paid tribute to scientist and former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer following his death from brain cancer.

The world-renowned melanoma expert, who died on Sunday aged 59, will be honoured with a state funeral after his lengthy public battle.

Mr Scolyer was given just six to eight months to live in June 2023 after being diagnosed with an incurable and aggressive stage four brain cancer named glioblastoma.

After the diagnosis, Mr Scolyer helped save thousands of people through his groundbreaking research after taking on world-first experimental treatment despite the risk it could cut life even shorter.

Anthony Albanese announced on Monday that his family had accepted an offer for a state funeral and honoured his bravery to become “his own subject” to advance science.

The PM hopefully said that when a cure for the aggressive cancer was finally found, Mr Scolyer’s pioneering efforts would be remembered as a massive stepping stone.

“Australia has lost one of our brightest lights and our biggest hearts. Professor Richard Scolyer was a truly remarkable man,” Mr Albanese said.

He also shared his personal connection to Mr Scolyer, who had been a neighbour in the inner western suburb of Camperdown in Sydney.

“As the joint 2024 Australian of the Year, Professor Scolyer took his place in the national spotlight with determination and purpose.

“He was a personal friend, a neighbour of mine,

“Professor Scolyer walked his uncertain path, as he called it, with courage, determination, grace, and his legacy will always be with us.“The cancer specialist who became his own subject.”

Mr Albanese also quoted a final letter Mr Scolyer left before his passing addressed to “my fellow Australians” which called for everyone to embrace a collective responsibility to try to leave the world a better place.

“In his final letter, he left us with an incredible insight into what an extraordinary character he was,” Mr Albanese said.

“He said he wanted to be remembered as a proud everyday Aussie who gave it a crack, but did so with humility, love, and compassion.”

Opposition leader Angus Taylor also paid tribute to Ms Scolyer, highlighting his work and describing him as a “brave, bold and challenged the status quo”.

“To read Richard Scolyer’s ‘final farewell’ letter is to recognise that our nation has lost a truly great and gracious Australian,” Mr Taylor said on Monday.

“In that goodbye, Professor Scolyer said that ‘cancer does not define us’. Yet Professor Scolyer’s more than three decades of work has defined cancer research and treatment – inroads that ultimately will help humanity defeat this dreadful disease.

“Professor Scolyer will be remembered for his breakthroughs in melanoma treatment, including immunotherapy, and being the first patient to receive brain cancer treatment based on what he helped develop.

“Among his many achievements was his nurturing of young doctors and researchers who will carry on his work.”

Mr Scolyer penned thanks to people who had helped along his journey, the joy he had in being able to help others through his work and encouragement for research to continue after his passing.

“I 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,” Mr Scolyer wrote.

“My final message to all Australians is to say ‘thank you’ for your outpouring of love and support for me and my family.

“If my legacy was to continue beyond these words, I would be delighted and humbled to be remembered as a proud everyday Aussie who ‘gave it a crack’, and in doing so, inspired others to pursue their dreams and passions with humility, love and compassion.”

Mr Scolyer is remembered by his wife Katie, his children Emily, Matthew and Lucy.

The full letter is as follows:

My fellow Australians,

I pen this letter as a final goodbye to all those I have had the immense privilege of loving, sharing life’s adventures with, working alongside and meeting during what can only be described as a life filled with happiness, optimism, opportunity and passion. My intention is for this letter to be published upon my passing - as my final farewell.

I’ve 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. Having dedicated my 35-year working life to patient care, cancer research and improving lives, I wanted to keep contributing, even in my darkest hour.

I am extremely proud of my impact - 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 the development of a brain cancer clinical trial and advocacy for greater investment in brain cancer research. I 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.

I 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. I write this knowing that my wonderful family would have been by my side every minute, as they have been throughout my cancer journey.