Renowned Tasmanian melanoma pathologist Richard Scolyer has announced the return of his brain cancer, with doctors estimating he has three months to live.
Surgeons discovered the “aggressive” tumour in the professors brain during a routine procedure last week.
Speaking with A Current Affair, Scolyer said he’s “not ready to go yet” and that he feels “sad” but “grateful”.
“I love my life,” he told host Ally Langdon. “I guess I feel lucky that I’ve been able to go for so long without a recurrence of it.”
“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.”
Diagnosed with glioblastoma in July 2023, doctors initially gave him only six to nine months.
Rather than accepting this prognosis, Scolyer applied his melanoma expertise to his own treatment plan.
Working with colleague Professor Georgina Long, he pioneered a combination of immunotherapy and personalised vaccines before surgery.
It was a gamble, but did result in Scolyer being declared cancer-free by November last year.
“I’m honestly very proud to have been a part of this and contributed to it,” Scolyer said. “I really hope for future patients that it makes a difference.”
Since then, Scolyer has been named joint Australian of the Year alongside Long, had an audience with King Charles and wrote a book.
He is now prioritising time with his wife Katie and children Emily, Matthew and Lucy.
