Cancer experts Richard Scolyer, who has an incurable brain tumour, and Georgina Long named joint NSW Australians of the Year (2024)

Professors Richard Scolyer and Georgina Long, who are adapting their breakthrough melanoma treatment to the former's own brain cancer, have been named joint NSW Australians of the Year.

The co-directors of the Melanoma Institute of Australia have saved thousands of lives with their immunotherapy approach, which activates a patient'simmune system.

Now they believe that approach has the potential to help people with brain cancer, like Professor Scolyer, who was diagnosed with incurable grade 4 brain cancer in June.

He is the self-described "patient zero" in a new experimental approach to the terminal illness.

"The reason we went down this route is because the subtype of cancer I've got is the worst of the worst, it's incurable, and when we looked around at clinical trials I could go on, there weren't any," Professor Scolyer said as he accepted the award on Monday night.

"We thought with our knowledge as clinicians and scientists, we need to apply this to see if we can make a difference, not just forme but for future brain cancer patients."

Professor Long said the award was for all cancer patients and the team at the Melanoma Institute.

Together the pair's immunotherapy treatment for advanced melanoma has dramatically reduced the number of people who die from it.

"Most people would die of the disease but now with these therapies that Georgina has led, it's now more than 50 per cent five-yearsurvival rate," Professor Scolyer said.

It was Professor Long's idea to use what they had learnt treating melanoma to try and help her colleague.

Professor Scolyeris the first person with brain cancerto have pre-surgery combination immunotherapy.

As well as administering immunotherapy prior to surgery to remove the tumour, the team at the Melanoma Institute of Australia researched his tumour and developed a personalised vaccine.

Professor Scoyler says trying new treatment 'no brainer'

Speaking on ABC Radio Sydney last week, Professor Scoylersaid the scientific data they've already produced is generating excitement in the biopharmaceutical and neuro-oncology industries.

"We don't know if it will make a difference to me longer term, but I've got no doubt we've already broken open the field and clinical trials will start that will hopefully make a difference to people with the subtype of glioblastoma that I've got."

While early results are positive, the experimental treatment risks shortening his life, but he jokes it was a "no brainer" to try it.

"Treatment hasn't changed in the last 18 years, so it doesn't feel right to me. We've got to try some new ways of treating it and to apply some of the therapies that we've developed," he said.

"It feels like the right thing to do."

Professor Long said last week the results so far have been "completely unexpected".

"We could not have hoped for a better result," she said.

"After giving him the immune treatment and then removing the brain cancer, we saw an activation of immune system within that brain tumour after we cut it out when we looked down the microscope, so that was absolutely phenomenal."

Geriatrician, children's book illustrator and cancer survivor also honoured

The recipients of the 2024 NSWAustralianof the Year, announced in Sydney on Monday night, will be in the running for the national awards in Canberra on January 25.

John Ward was named NSW Senior Australian of the Year for his work to create age-friendly communities and reduce social isolation of older people.

The 79-year-old co-founded the Hunter Ageing Alliance to advocatefor older people's needs and has developed an integrated, collaborative approach to dementia care for patients and their carers.

Dr Ward hoped the award would help open up doors and make more people receptive to his ideas.

"I've always felt that if there is an issue that could be done better, you might as well do it better," he said on Monday.

Angus Olsen, who creates artworks and books to help children better understand their cancer treatment, won the Local Hero Award.

It began after his daughter, Jane, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at age two.

"I was watching my little girl fading in front of my eyes so I did the only thing that I know how to do and that was drawing."

While at hospital with her, the former Disney artist would draw pictures to help her make sense of what was happening.

Jane got better, but Mr Olsen continued to draw and has now produced 20 books for children with cancer.

He draws in between making coffees at his Katoomba cafe in the Blue Mountains.

"I make a coffee, I draw a line, I make a coffee, I draw a line and eventually I've got something that can help children around the world."

The NSW Young Australian of the Year is Nikhil Autar, researcher and founder of Bheem Health which provides low-cost medical devices for sick and vulnerable people.

At age 17 he was diagnosed with leukaemia and underwent chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants and open heart surgery. The now 30-year-old is studying medicine.

Mr Autar, from Voyager Point in Sydney's south-west,also created Knia Maps — Know in Advance Maps — after he was unable to find the information he needed for a placement at Blacktown Hospital likethe best parking spots nearest ramps.

"I was like, that needs to be fixed."