In memory of Roger Stephen Tait

By Virginia Lloyd-Tait

Garvan brings together world-leading scientists and clinicians, collaborating locally and globally, to advance our understanding of disease, particularly cancer, autoimmunity and genetic disorders.  We are a global leader in fundamental biomedical research and its translation. Our mission is to make discoveries that will improve health for all.  Learn more about Garvan's research here. 

Roger was a loving devoted husband, incredible father to his daughters Emily and Amanda, grandfather to Robin, and brother to Paul, Robin, Noel, Elizabeth and Janet and friend to so so many. He was constantly full of energy and joy and ran circles around those near to him, whether it was playing guitar, singing, organising jam days, racing motorcycles, getting a black belt in karate, dancing flamenco in Spain or swinging Virginia around the dance floor. Roger's big, friendly smile lit up his face and made everyone he encountered feel welcomed, valued and heard. It is something that everyone remembers about him - alongside those bouncing curls, of course. He had such infectious enthusiasm, positivity, passion for life and love of all things musical, we couldn't believe it when he was diagnosed in March 2021 with pancreatic cancer. 

We had hoped that with early detection, his life time of healthy eating, exercise, and a persistently positive outlook, he might have been one of the rare survivors. He had no genetic familial history for pancreatic cancer and none of the identified risk factors. He had never been sick. 

He died less than 10 months later. 

Roger was a Medical Technician who dedicated his 40 year work life to the Haematology Dept at Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology.
He touched many people's lives and was greatly loved and respected throughout the company.

He believed in the healing potential of the available treatments with modern medicine. Alongside this he was open to both traditional and non-traditional options to help treat and hopefully beat this cancer. Roger was diagnosed in what was considered the early stages of this disease, which also gave us hope. 

But unfortunately he was up against incredible odds. The five year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 11%. 

We are hoping your donations will assist in providing funds for the Garvan to continue their Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Thank you to my Sponsors

$4.02k

Double Gin & The Tonics

Rog, you will be with us always

$52.75

Ian Chambers

you're inspirational, vlt. i hope you know that.

$5k

Virginia Lloyd-tait

$5.02k

Virginia Lloyd-tait

miss you so much my darling

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Virginia Lloyd-tait

Roger, always in our consciousness, our hearts and our minds

$1.37k

Album Sales

Donations from sale of Roger’s album

$105.50

Dave Coombs

Dear Virginia, I'm terribly sorry for your loss but I'm in awe of the love and care your family are showing for each other in this time of sadness. Roger's kindness and fun-loving nature lives on in you all. My deepest condolences, Dave

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Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Jillian Stevens

Roger was one of a kind - gentle, warm and compassionate and he enriched our lives daily. He will be so greatly missed by all who knew and loved him, as we did.

$52.75

Felicia Finlayson

I’ll always hear the strum of his guitar and the sound of his voice. Miss our conversation and his sharing of music

$105.50

Barry John Oswick

Love

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Kathy Davis

$211

Bill Gobbe

Hi Gin. Deeply sorry to hear of Roger's passing.Roger was always cheerful, positive, courteous and friendly to everyone, humble and had that bouncy step. Hope you are coping as best possible.Bill

$158.25

Lynn Nelson

$200

Sonic Pathology Australia

$250

Ian Clark

You and Roger have been a special team and it has been a privilege to have known you both. Roger never complained, was always smiling and even after the diagnosis was concerned more about others than himself. My condolences are with you and your brave girls.

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Anonymous

Dear Virginia, Emily & Amanda, thinking of you all during this difficult time. Roger will be sorely missed, his smile, his warmth and passion for life and his family will always be remembered. lots love Gelsi x

$200

Tiz Roberts

Dearest Gin Roger broke the mold, his qualities are too numerous to list, he will live on in the hearts , souls & minds of all those lucky enough to know him. Much Love Tiz x

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Andrew Cullen

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Anonymous

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Salvina De Angelis

Dear Virginia, Emily & Amanda, Thoughts and prayers with you all and sending love. Sal x

$415

Yvonne Bolzan

Dear Virginia, Emily & Amanda. The impact Roger has had on so many people has been profound.His spirit will always be with you, it will never dim. His legacy will continue to light up your lives. xxoo

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Lizzie Ingleson

Sending so much love to you all xoxox

$515

Jenny Turner

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Jess & Haz

Feel so privileged to have experienced the incredible joy and energy that Rog brought into everyone's life. He was so generous with his love and his laughs and will be so missed. Gin, Em & Mands we are sending our love as you say goodbye to such a special person x

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Peter Joseph

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Beth Shuttleworth

Dear Virginia,Emily and Amanda Remembering Roger and sending love and special thoughts to you all at this sad time. from Beth.

$515

Arnold And Beryl Kabral

Many people come into our lives but only some hold a special spot in our hearts. Roger had the magic to be that someone for us and many other people. While friendship held us music bonded us. These memories and your warm happy smile will always remain with us

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Sue Aird

Roger’s infectious big smile and enthusiasm always lit up the room. The loss of his physical presence will be hard to bear but he will always be in your hearts and minds. Sending love and hugs xxx

$211

Penelope & Anthony Cox

You, and the girls are all in our thoughts - such an incredibly gorgeous man who has shown us all, the way to deal with life's adversities. With love to you all, Penny & Anthony (Cox) XX

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Kay Cleary

With Love. Kay

$211

Gina, Con, Sophia & Cinos Family

Roger is remembered by us as an extraordinary, warm, caring and full of life gentleman. Our chats at the coffee machine whilst waiting for his- cappuccino no lid- will always remain in our memory. We are sorry to you Virginia, to your girls and family for Roger's passing. May his memory be eternal.

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Marilyn And Paul Gazzard

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Chris Sullivan

dear Ginny, thinking of you during this very difficult time. RIP Roger. Love Chris xxx

$515

Chris Wilks

Fond memories of a well respected and delightful man. With best wishes, Chris

$105.50

Catherine Keniry

Thinking of you and your family Virginia. Such a tragic loss for you and all who Roger touched. I will always remember his infectious smile. CK xx

$105.50

Elizabeth Highton-williamson

Thinking of Virginia, Emily & Mandi - we are so very sorry for your loss. All of our love and thoughts, Lily, Billy, Lisa. XX

$79.13

Frances Hanly

We miss Roger and think of him often

$105.50

Rebecca

Thinking of you all. I will miss Rog very much.xx

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Anonymous

Dear Virginia. So sorry for your loss.

$211

Anonymous

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Anonymous

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Jennifer

I'm so grateful I got to spend time with you all. Roger was a gift to us all and I'm deeply grateful to know the two of you. Sending much love to you all and celebrating the beautiful person that he remains in our hearts.

$211

Anonymous

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Lianne C

Thinking of you all and sending loads of love and hugs Gin,, Emily, Amanda and all the family . So sad for your loss. I’ll always remember Rog as ‘ a lover of life “ his warmth and enthusiasm, that spring in his step , that huge grin always made me smile.Xx

$26.38

Elizabeth Bernal-hoyos

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Terry O'brien

‘Forever young’ is when your body grows older but your mind, soul and heart still remains young. Roger - you are forever young. Xxx

$105.50

Anonymous

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Janice Bert

A beautiful tribute to a truly beautiful man

$200

David Bishop

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Lisa Crawford

Thinking of you Gin and your beautiful family as you deal with your loss. Roger always had a big smile on his face and DHM won't be the same with out him here. Sending you all my love xx

$105.50

Cynthia And George Wilson

I wish we had been able to meet Roger. Please know our thoughts are with you and your family

$75

Cath Mcewen

No words can fix the sadness. Roger will be in our hearts forever. I will always remember him as one of the finest souls I've had the pleasure to know. My love to you and the family at this sad time - and always.

$105.50

Liz Plati

Dear Virginia, Emily and Amanda, My heart goes out to you… May the beautiful memories of Roger give you peace today and always

$211

Robyn Winton

Roger's warmth, wonderful smile and genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with will remain with me always. He has left us way too soon.

$105.50

Shane Gunawardhana

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

$52.75

Kay Lewis

Darling Virginia, my heart is broken for you at the loss of your beloved Roger, two souls met, entwined and are forever United. I simply can’t believe it. So many wonderful memories, please reach out to me Virginia I’d love to be in closer and nearer touch. Kay Lewis 🙏🏻❤️‍🩹

$158.25

Vivien Santer

In fond memory of a wonderful cousin, and with love to Virginia, Emily and Amanda.

$105.50

Anonymous

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Pam And Howard Houliston

So saddened by the loss of this incredible guy who touched so many hearts in so many ways. Loving thoughts to you Virginia , Emily and Amanda

$100

Maureen Harris

Thinking of you and your family. A beautiful soul lost.

$105.50

Marcella Roman

I am very sad to hear your news. Roger was a pleasure to work with. I sent our bone marrows to him regularly and I knew they were always in good hands. He was also a wonderful musician and I will always remember your performances at the Christmas Parties.

$263.75

Anonymous

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Charlie Cox

Lots of love

$211

Paul Alexander

Every memory I have of Roger includes a smile on his face - whether on stage with the band or in the corridors of the lab. Such a positive, energetic person. So sorry for your loss Virginia and family.

$211

Vera Stoermer

My deepest condolences to you and your family. He will be sorely missed by all his colleagues.

$105.50

Ming Seeto

Condolence to you and family. We have many happy share memories over more than 30 years working together

$105.50

Nat & Sam

Roger’s incredible legacy lives on in his infectious enthusiasm for small joys and devotion to family and friends. We feel so fortunate to have known Rog - to have shared a dance floor with him, borne witness to his passion for music, and to have been at the receiving end of his beaming smile and warm laugh. Gin, Mands and Em, our thoughts are with you as you say goodbye to a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, musician and human.

$263.75

Peter Kyle

Such a lovely person. He made me feel so welcome at DHM. I'm terribly saddened at his loss, and can only imagine the depth of loss to Virginia, Emily and Amanda.

$105.50

Deborah Corrigall

The first time I met Roger was when he walked into Ryries Parade. I didn't image he was Emily's dad. Too young, too vibrant, too good looking for a dad!. I did not get to know him well but I remember him clearly and I am glad of the times we did meet. My thoughts are with you. His death is untimely and unfair. I hope it is some consolation that his live was full.

$515

Virginia Re

What an extraordinary stroke of luck it was that the work band needed a singer. It didn’t take long for me to realise how much more I was getting out of being part of the band than just the music. When we stopped talking about music, Rog and I would talk about life, love and family. I would always leave those chats inspired by his attitude to life and fierce love for Gin and his family. It was extremely difficult to feel anything other than joy and positivity around Rog, even when he was sick. Life will never be the same without you Rogie, but what you have left in my heart and in my memories will last forever.

$105.50

Tracey Stephenson

Dear Virginia, I am very sad to hear of Roger’s passing... always a happy smile for everyone. My deepest condolences to you and the family. Tracey xx

$515

Rohan, Eva And Mirella

With love for my cousin Roger and his beautiful family, Virginia, Emily and Amanda. We hold Roger in our hearts for his love of life, for his incredible generosity, and as a hell of a musician!

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Susan Chambers

$105.50

David The

Dear Virginia, I hope and pray that you and your family will find comfort at this time.

$52.75

Paula Baxter

Dear Tait Family, I am so very sorry and heartbroken to hear Roger has passed, please accept my deepest condolences and love. I loved working with Roger and being part of his musical journey was an honour and a blessing.

$52.75

Denise Kwong

Dear Gin, incredibly heartbroken and sorry for your loss. Roger was always a shining beacon with the most infectious smile and he will be greatly missed but never forgotten. xxx

$26.38

Kylie Johnson

Dear gin em and manda may rog’s love surround you for the rest of your lives. there was no no one like him. Gentle kind funny wild thoughtful present and free.. please know how much love I am sending to you all.. love Kylie

$105.50

Janine Hoiney

Much loved, gone too soon. Thinking of Gin and family xx

$211

Jim And Ros

We feel so sad at the loss of our dear friend and band mate, but thinking of your smiling face puts a smile on our faces every time. We're very grateful to have known you, Rog. Our hearts are with you, Virginia.

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Sally Johnston

$105.50

Lindsay Thitchener

Thinking of you and your family at this sad time, with love and prayers

$201

Preeti And Family

Roger, It hurts to know you’re not going to be sitting next to us for morning tea sharing your stories and perfecting your Italian, it hurts to know you’re not going to keep pushing me to draw more pictures, it hurts to know you’re not going to ask me how to use apps on your phone and so on…Thank you for always showing positive side of things and being the inspiration. Me and my family and our community for that matter, are grateful to you and Virginia for instantly agreeing and organising a charity for the earthquake relief in 2015. Did not think for a minute your diagnosis at stage 1 would lead to this result. May you Rest In Peace, free of all the pain. You are sorely missed.

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Maria Sclavos

Dear Virginia Emily and Amanda thinking of you and wishing you strength and comfort Maria Sclavos

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Priya

My deepest condolcences to you and your family. I started in Lab Management at DHM in July and have heard lots of wonderful stories about Roger. He will be truly missed by many. May you find peace in knowing how loved and cherished he was.

$263.75

Sam Nagra

Roger's friendly smile and joyful nature always shone through. We'd often exchange greetings in the lift and I'd leave with the impression that I'd been in the presence of someone quite unique in life.

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Anonymous

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Belinda Pope

Dear GIn, I am truly sorry to hear about the loss of Rodger, HIs joyfulness will always be remembered. May his memory be with you and your family always ♥️ Belinda

$105.50

Nichole Signorelli

A truly beautiful Soul. Forever will be missed but never forgotten xoxo

$105.50

Richard Jones

Lovely lovely person gone way too soon and a privilege to have know and worked with Rog.

$52.75

Eva-marie Kougellis

Gin, I am so sorry for your enormous loss. When I think of Roger, I remember his beautiful smile and love of music. May his memory live forever through you, his children, grandchildren and extended family and friends. I am thinking of you always. With much love and respect, Eva ♥️

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Antje Ryll

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Terri Sivertsen

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Virginia Lloyd-tait