Professor Richard Scolyer, a leading melanoma expert and former Australian of the Year, died Sunday, June 7, 2026 [1].

Scolyer was a pivotal figure in oncology whose work transformed melanoma treatment. His death marks the end of a public struggle with a terminal illness that he used to further medical understanding.

Scolyer died at age 59 [2] in Melbourne, Victoria [3]. He had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumour, since his diagnosis in 2023 [4]. During his illness, Scolyer became a subject of his own research, acting as a "guinea pig" by receiving the world's first experimental brain-tumour treatment [5].

The pathologist and scientist was known for his transparency regarding his condition. In a moment of crisis after collapsing in a hotel room in Poland, Scolyer said to his wife, Katie, "I'm f***ed" [6]. Despite the severity of the disease, he remained engaged with the public and the scientific community until his death.

In his final goodbye, Scolyer described himself as "a proud everyday Aussie who gave it a crack" [7]. His career was defined by a commitment to improving cancer survival rates through innovative pathology, and clinical research.

Medical colleagues and the public followed his journey as he navigated the limitations of current glioblastoma therapies. His willingness to undergo experimental procedures provided rare data on the efficacy of new treatments for aggressive brain cancers [5].

“a proud everyday Aussie who gave it a crack”

Scolyer's death highlights the continued difficulty of treating glioblastoma, one of the most lethal forms of brain cancer. By documenting his own treatment and undergoing a world-first experimental procedure, Scolyer transitioned from a researcher to a patient-subject, potentially providing clinical insights that could accelerate the development of future brain-cancer therapies.