Richard Scolyer will be honoured at a state memorial service at the Sydney Opera House next month after his death on June 7, aged 59, three years after he was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet says his life will be commemorated on Monday, July 13. An online listing for the service said: “There will be [a] range of tributes from friends, family members and dignitaries,” and added, “Limited free tickets for the State Memorial Service will be made available to the general public.”
His family also announced the details on social media, saying they were “honoured” by the decision. Tickets for the service will be released to the public tomorrow, Monday, June 29, at 9am EST.
People attending are being encouraged to donate to charity instead of sending flowers, with contributions directed to the Brain Cancer Group and the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
Professor Scolyer, the former Australian of the Year, was widely recognised as a leading melanoma pathologist, a pioneer in cancer research, a committed runner and a devoted family man. He was a globally respected expert in skin cancer and melanoma diagnosis and co-authored more than 800 peer-reviewed publications across more than 20 years.
Working alongside Georgina Long, AO, he was credited with helping save “thousands of lives from melanoma”. In 2024, the pair were both named Australian of the Year for their work as pioneers in melanoma treatment.
In 2023, Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with incurable Grade 4 brain cancer, known as IDH “wild” type glioblastoma. He decided to publicly document his illness and treatment, sharing each stage of that experience.
That journey included a world-first treatment in which he underwent immunotherapy before the removal of a brain tumour. The experimental treatment, based on melanoma science advanced by Professor Scolyer and his colleagues and developed by Professor Long, extended his expected survival from months to years.
He died three years after his diagnosis, having also completed his 250th Park Run before his death.
Richard Slcoyer is survived by his wife, Katie, and their three children, Lucy, Matt and Emily.
After his death, a letter he had written was released at his request. In it, he said: “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.”
He also wrote: “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.”
