RICHARD SCOLYER 'I'M FEELING SO LUCKY'

The Australian of the Year and his partner Katie are treating every day as precious

- Emma Babbington

Just a week before speaking to Woman's Day, Richard Scolyer completed his 250th Parkrun. And as he reached the end of the 5km jog around his local Sydney park, there were cheers of support and encouragement from the large crowd as he crossed the finish line. Not that he needed it.

“I slowed Richard down - he had a spring in his step,” laughs Katie Nicoll, who readily admits to not being an athlete like her partner of 23 years, who is finally feeling well enough to get back to his beloved exercise of cycling and running.

LIFE IS GOOD

“I feel the best I've felt in ages, which is terrific. Life’s good. For the last couple of weeks I've been able to do things that make me happy,” says Richard who is currently receiving a standard brain cancer treatment for his terminal brain cancer, meaning he has fewer side effects and more energy. He's even back at work a few days a week.

And the 2024 Australian of the Year's happiness is contagious.

“People passing say, ‘Good work, Richard!’” says Katie. “It's a really nice side of humanity — people are so considerate of him. They're not trying to intrude on Richard's time, but they’re just full of such good warm wishes.”

Those warm wishes have been in steady supply since Richard, 58, went public with his June 2023 diagnosis of a stage-four IDH-wildtype glioblastoma brain tumour and that he’d be trialling potentially risky treatments in the hope that future sufferers could benefit from what was learned.