Richard Scolyer saved thousands of lives. Then he found himself convulsing on the floor.

For years, Richard Scolyer dedicated his life to saving others.

The renowned pathologist's melanoma research has helped thousands of people and earned him the accolade of Australian of the Year in 2024.

In his personal life, Scolyer considers himself "rich". He has a loving wife, Katie, three incredible kids, and was in peak physical condition, competing as an endurance athlete across the world. Life was good.

Until one day in May 2023, when everything changed.

Scolyer was in a hotel room in Krakow, Poland when he suddenly lost consciousness and started convulsing.

A trip to hospital delivered the kind of news no one ever wants to hear: he had a brain tumour.

Twelve days later, a biopsy in Sydney confirmed the worst. It was an aggressive grade 4 IDH-wildtype glioblastoma — an incurable tumour. "The worst of the worst" brain cancer. He was given just six to nine months to live.

Suddenly, his world collapsed. Future plans disappeared. His life was now measured in months and weeks.

"I didn't want to die. I loved my life," he wrote in his memoir, Brainstorm.

But then, Scolyer did something extraordinary.

Watch: Professor Ricahrd Scolyer talks about defying his cancer prognosis. Post continues below.

Becoming the guinea pig.

As a former co-director at the Melanoma Institute Australia, Scolyer spent two decades working alongside Georgina Long — another co-director and fellow Australian of the Year. Together, they'd led groundbreaking trials using immunotherapy to treat melanoma.

In 15 years, the five-year survival rate for advanced melanoma had jumped from five per cent to 55 per cent.

But glioblastoma? The treatment for that hadn't changed in 20 years.

"Basically, this sort of tumour spreads like tree roots that run through your brain," Scolyer told The Guardian. "You can never cure it with surgery or radiation therapy. If you tried to cut the whole tumour out you wouldn't have much brain left."

Instead, therapy was usually focused on prolonging life with chemotherapy and radiation until palliative care and death.

Australians Of The Year in 2024 Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer. Image: AAP.

Long knew they had to try something different.

She had pioneered the use of immunotherapy for melanoma patients whose cancer had spread to the brain — and she was determined to help her friend.

They decided to take a massive risk: apply what they'd learned from melanoma immunotherapy to Scolyer's brain cancer. It had never been done before.

He knew the odds were slim — a five per cent chance of survival, maybe even lower. There was a 60 per cent chance that the side effects alone could kill him.

But it was worth it if it meant helping future brain cancer patients.

Just 28 days after his seizure in Krakow, Scolyer underwent surgery. The result? Hope for a new frontier in brain cancer treatment.

Research teams are now working towards a world-first clinical trial of the high-risk treatment for glioblastoma patients. If successful, it could revolutionise brain cancer treatment — just like it did for melanoma.

Scolyer received 12 months worth of drug therapy. In November 2024, there had been no sign of recurrence, he was cancer-free. But that didn't mean it wouldn't ever come back.

"It is just waiting and watching and seeing if there is a recurrence. We will manage that if and when it happens," he told The Guardian.

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A devastating development.

Scolyer has been sharing his cancer journey with over 100,000 followers online.

This week, he shared the update no one wanted to hear: the cancer has returned. After undergoing complex brain surgery, doctors told him he may only have months to live.

"The prognosis is poor," he shared in an update.

He said the immunotherapy and anticancer vaccination he received "may have made a difference in my brain tumour and survival", but more work was needed in a clinical trial to prove this.

Despite the devastating news, Scolyer remains proud of the research behind his treatment.

"I hope [it] will make a difference for others," he said.

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Facing the unknown.

Scolyer isn't afraid to admit he's scared of what lies ahead.

But he's also grateful. He's survived for 21 months without standard therapy, while 75 per cent of people aged over 50 with glioblastoma die within a year. That extra time meant more moments with his family.

"It's disappointing, but on the other hand, I am grateful that I've been able to enjoy my life, contribute to society, and spend more time with family," he told The Australian.

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, he admitted it was cruel twist of fate — dedicating his life to helping others fight cancer, only to be struck down by it himself. But cancer doesn't discriminate.

"Everyone has ups and downs in their lives ... Looking down the barrel of not being here much longer, I've loved the life I've lived," he told the publication.

"I've got a wonderful family, and the work contributions are something that I'm very proud of."

Richard Scolyer authored a memoir with Garry Maddox. Image: Instagram/profrscolyer.

As for how he plans to spend the time he has left?

Scolyer is focused on soaking up every moment with his loved ones. He's hoping to be able to fly to Launceston for his father's 90th birthday next month.

His message to the rest of us is devastatingly simple:

"Make the most of your time. You never know what's around the corner."

Feature image: X/ProfRAScolyer.