Latest news with #brainCancer
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Former Australian of the Year shares update on his cancer battle
Former Australian of the Year Dr Richard Scolyer has revealed he has recently experienced some 'tough times' in this battle with stage four brain cancer. The globally-renowned pathologist was diagnosed with 'incurable' brain cancer in June 2023 and has been sharing his journey with Australians ever since. Dr Scolyer shared a photo of him undergoing an MRI to Facebook on Friday, writing he had recently experienced some 'tough times' but was recuperating. 'It sure is amazing to be back out there participating and enjoying life,' he said. 'A month or so ago, I had some tough times with recurrent brain tumour and additional challenged. These were associated with swelling of my brain which can cause changes in how I am functioning. 'However, now I am feeling much better and loving spending time with my wonderful family and friends.' The post was quickly flooded with well-wishes from supporters. 'You are such an inspiration to us all and enjoy the time with your beautiful family,' on person commented. 'You're a true fighter and so incredibly honest with your journey. We're all cheering you on Dr, you're an inspiration,' a second wrote. 'Love your outlook on life, whatever it may be, keep family and friends close to your heart,' a third said.
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Grief Forced Me to Step Away From My Company. These 5 Systems Made It Possible.
When a personal tragedy forced me to step away from my business for two weeks, I relied on these systems to keep it running. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. When you're running a business, taking time off usually means planning weeks (or months) in advance. You take great pains to line up coverage, prep clients, schedule out social media posts and hope nothing unexpected comes up while you're away. But life doesn't always give you a heads-up. Recently, I had to step away from my company for a full two weeks after losing my dad to brain cancer. He had been fighting the disease for a while, but when things rapidly progressed and he entered hospice care, I knew I needed to be fully present with him and my family. Planning a funeral, getting all of his affairs in order, being there for my loved ones and going through my own grieving journey led to an emotionally overwhelming two weeks. And for the first time in my entrepreneurial career, I was able to fully step away, and the business kept running. Money still came in. Clients were taken care of. Social media didn't miss a beat. Proposals kept going out. And it reminded me why I built my business the way I did. Whether you're in the middle of a personal crisis or just in need of a vacation, you shouldn't have to choose between your life and your business. Here are some of the strategies that made it possible for me to unplug for two weeks, and how you can start applying them to your own business right now. Related: Why You Still Need to Take Time Off in a Time of Crisis 1. Build a team you trust not only to "do," but to think It's one thing to have a team that completes tasks. It's another to have people who can anticipate problems and come up with solutions before you even know there's a fire. The real MVPs on my team are more than doers, they're thinkers. They know our goals, understand our clients and make decisions confidently. If your team constantly waits for your approval before they take action, you're the bottleneck. And I've been that bottleneck before. Empower your team to act in your absence by encouraging independent thinking and clearly defining what success looks like. When I had to step away, I didn't have to worry about whether things would fall through the cracks, because my team had it handled. That kind of leadership and trust is priceless. 2. Systematize everything If your business only works when you're working, you don't have a business — you have a job. One that owns you. The key is to get everything (especially the knowledge in your head) into systems your team can access. In my business, we use a work management platform to manage all of our client projects. Every deadline, deliverable and task is visible. So when someone needs to step in (like when my project manager went on maternity leave last year), it's seamless. Start documenting your processes now. It doesn't have to be fancy. A shared Google Doc with step-by-step instructions works just fine. If you ever want to scale or sell your business, documented systems are essential. 3. Delegate outcomes, not just tasks Entrepreneurs are notorious for micromanaging. I've been there, thinking I could do it faster or better because I've been in marketing for 20-plus years. But that mindset limits growth. Instead of assigning tasks, delegate goals. Give your team the "what" and let them figure out the "how." In doing so, it builds confidence, encourages ownership and often leads to better results than you would've achieved on your own. Making this shift will let you focus on the big picture and step away when needed because your team knows how to move the ball forward. Related: Delegating Doesn't Mean You Lose Control — It Means You Maximize Your Impact. Here's How to Do It Effectively. 4. Automate everything you can When I was out, my business's billing ran automatically through an online payment processing platform. Our emails continued going out weekly through our CRM system. Social media posts were scheduled out a month in advance. All of that happened without me lifting a finger. That's the power of automation. You don't need a massive tech stack. Just look at where you're repeating tasks and ask, "Can this be automated?" Think about: Online scheduling tools for appointments Recurring invoices and ACH billing CRM email sequences to nurture leads Social media schedulers to stay consistent These tools won't just save you time, they'll also give you peace of mind. Related: How I Automated 50% of My Business Tasks and Scaled Without Hiring More Employees 5. Practice being absent This one might sound strange, but it's essential: Learn how to be gone. If your business can't function without you, then it's not truly scalable. Take small steps by blocking off time where you're intentionally unavailable. Skip a meeting or take a few hours off in the middle of the day. Start slow if you need to, but start. Eventually, when something unexpected happens — or when an exciting opportunity comes along — you'll be able to step away without everything falling apart. Entrepreneurship is about freedom. Not just financial freedom, but time freedom too. It doesn't matter if it's a personal emergency or just a trip you've been dreaming of taking; you should be able to step away from your business and trust that it will keep moving in your absence. I didn't build this kind of business overnight. It took years of trial and error, delegation, automation, and growing a team I could count on, which wasn't easy. But I can tell you from experience: It's worth it. Because when life happens — and it will — the last thing you should have to worry about is whether your business will survive without you.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Mary Fowler is cruelly trolled for supporting brain cancer charity - before they are firmly put back in their place
Matildas star Mary Fowler has been attacked online for supporting a highly popular brain cancer charity. The Manchester City forward shared an image online supporting the Mark Hughes Foundation, wearing one of the charity's distinctive blue beanies and urging her followers to purchase one as well. 'Got myself a new cute beanie in preparation for the NRL Beanie for Brain Cancer Round coming up at the end of June,' she posted. 'The team at the Mark Hughes Foundation are doing incredibly impactful work to help those in need. 'If you'd like to show your support, you can purchase a beanie following the link in my BIO.' Mark Hughes is a former NRL star who played 161 games for the Newcastle Knights, scoring 66 tries, winning two premierships and representing New South Wales in State of Origin during his career. In 2013, aged 36, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, a life-altering event that inspired him and his wife Kirralee to start the Mark Hughes Foundation in 2014. The Mark Hughes Foundation focuses on raising funds for brain cancer research, supporting patient care, and increasing awareness of the disease. One of its flagship events is the annual "Beanie for Brain Cancer" campaign, with over one million beanies sold and tens of millions of dollars donated to research and support programs. Building on this, the NRL holds the Beanie for Brain Cancer Round in June, during which fans, players, and clubs wear beanies to raise funds - most recently generating $3.1million in 2024. Fowler's efforts to promote the 2025 event was met with cynicism by one follower, though, who accused her of doing it for the money. 'How much are rugby league (Mark Hughes foundation) paying you?' they asked with a laughing emoji to mock the Matildas star further. One of Fowler's more polite followers pointed out that she had a connection to the game through her partner, Panthers star Nathan Cleary. 'Her partner plays league you muppet,' they replied. One troll tried to belittle her efforts, prompting the Mark Hughes Foundation to clarify that she was not being paid to endorse the charity And the Mark Hughes Foundation itself also replied, clarifying that Fowler was not being paid to promote the good cause. 'To be really clear we offered to send Mary a Beanie in the aim of her posting and improving our sales,' the foundation's official Instagram account replied. 'Mary then graciously went online, brought 3 beanies and had them shipped to the UK. 'Posted, not only a story, which we get from most influencers but a post and even collaborated with us and added our link to her bio. Way above and beyond. 'Also we do not pay anyone to promote our beanies and the NRL support us by hosting the Beanie Round they do not, nor need to pay anyone to wear them.' Beanies are available online through the Foundation's official website, where this year's options include the bold Violet Chunky Knit and the timeless Classic Grey, both priced at $29. Fans attending Round 17 matches from June 26 to 29 can also buy beanies at the stadiums. In addition, participating retailers such as Lowes, selected IGA supermarkets, and some Woolworths stores are stocking the beanies nationwide. All proceeds go directly toward brain cancer research and patient support programs run by the Foundation.
ABC News
17-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Carrie Bickmore pays tribute to Isaac Smith and Scott Selwood after gruelling marathon
Radio host Carrie Bickmore has paid tribute to former AFL players Isaac Smith and Scott Selwood after both ran a full marathon to raise funds for brain cancer. Smith, the four-time premiership winner with Hawthorn and Geelong, joined Bickmore in for the Big 5 marathon in South Africa after just three weeks of preparation. Selwood was scheduled to join Bickmore's squad in South Africa, but pulled out after the tragic death of his brother Adam Selwood last month. Despite this, the ex-Geelong midfielder ran the 42 kilometres by himself around the Albert Park lake in Melbourne. "The definition of mate ship right here," Bickmore wrote in a post praising the duo on Instagram. "Collapsed against the wall is Scott Selwood, who was due to participate in The Big 5 with us but had to pull out at the last minute due to the most horrific personal circumstances. He still chose to do the marathon in Australia at the same time as we did ours in South Africa. He ran around Albert Park lake and did the 42K alone. What a superhuman effort. "The pic of the man laying down is Isaac Smith, a former footy player who stepped in with 3 weeks to go and only managed 3 training runs before running The Big 5 marathon. He nearly got medic'd off the course because he was so unwell, but he wouldn't let them stop him running. He completed the marathon, the colour of grey, and stumbling everywhere but he did it. He did it for Scott. "Sending love to both of you. You are both beautiful humans." Bickmore's message accompanied an image which showed both Smith and Selwood immediately after running their respective marathons. The Big 5 marathon is considered one of the toughest courses in the world. Runners weave their way through an African wildlife park with animals such as lions, elephants and rhinos. Adam Selwood died at 41 on May 17 and was farewelled by his loved ones at a private funeral in Perth last month, just months after his twin brother Troy also died and was given a public service at Geelong's Kardinia Park in February. The four Selwood brothers combined for 786 games during their respective careers, an AFL record for the most combined games by siblings.
ABC News
14-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Professor Richard Scolyer completes 250th Parkrun, a goal set after cancer diagnosis
Former Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer has completed his 250th Parkrun — a milestone he set after he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2023. The renowned melanoma researcher was among hundreds of runners who took part in the Greenway Parkrun at Haberfield in Sydney's inner west on Saturday morning. Professor Scolyer, who put himself forward as "patient zero" for revolutionary brain cancer treatment, crossed the finish line to applause and cheers from the crowd. Shortly after he finished the race, light rain began to fall and a rainbow formed over the reserve. When speaking to the media, he said 250 Parkruns was a "big goal" he set for himself. "I did a lot of Parkruns in the early 2000s but then as the kids go through various parts of their life you stop doing it," he said. "And then when I got sick again I wanted to try and get to 250. "I guess it's part of my personality. Bit embarrassing, but wanting to get to 250 was something that pushed me along." Professor Scolyer said it was "crazy" to see such a huge turnout at the run and that he was "very happy" to complete his goal. Professor Scolyer said he had doubts about whether he would reach the major milestone. "To be honest, I never thought I'd get there," he said. In a post to his more than 20,000 followers on X earlier this week, he wrote that it was a goal "I wasn't sure I'd reach" and that he was excited to be able to take part in the run. "So it's with a huge amount of gratitude to my family, friends, and medical team that I'll be celebrating this achievement," he said. The post on social media came after a long period of no updates, which Professor Scolyer said was due to the impact of his latest round of cancer treatment, but that he now felt "like the fog has lifted a bit". Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma in 2023 and was given just six to eight months to live. But an experimental immunotherapy treatment he was given managed to keep the cancer at bay for almost two years with no recurrence. However, he revealed in March that after undergoing scans, he had received the heartbreaking news that his brain cancer had come back. In May, he had another setback, revealing that his first proper scan since the surgery showed the glioblastoma had progressed and it was getting "harder to treat". He told ABC News Breakfast last month he wasn't sure how much time he had left. "I'm still here and still able to chat to you so I'm pretty pleased about that," he said. "Who knows how long I've got. Could be months, could be less." Professor Scolyer said he's focused on spending the time he has left doing the things he loves most. "I love my life. I love the interactions I have with so many people. "I guess in reality, I have focused down on the things that I like doing. Spending more time with my family is number one, but also contributing to society. It's something I've done for a long, long time. "I've been a specialist for more than 25 years now. So a lot of things that I've done I don't want to give up just like that." Professor Scolyer has been very public and honest about his prognosis and journey through brain cancer treatment in interviews, social media and in his recent memoir, Brainstorm. His memoir, which was co-written with Garry Maddox, won the Social Impact Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards in Melbourne last month.
