Married At First Sight’s Mel Schilling reveals her cancer is in remission as she warns fans about signs to look for
MARRIED At First Sight’s Mel Schilling has shared how her cancer is in remission after she was diagnosed following symptoms in 2023.
Married at First Sight dating expert, Mel Schilling, 53, appeared on ITV show Lorraine today to chat about her colon cancer diagnosis.
Mel was diagnosed with colon cancer a year ago, with the TV personality now revealing she is in remission.
While sharing the happy news with viewers, Mel also warned those watching of the signs and symptoms to look out for.
“I am doing well, the cancer is in remission,” Mel revealed.
“Ahh Lorraine it’s been a year,” she added, “Christmas Eve last year, I just got out of hospital and I just made it home in time for Christmas. It was pretty grim.
“I was just feeling very grateful to be out of hospital but still in a lot of pain and recovering.
“So fast forward a year to the Christmas we have just had, it was my first cold Christmas and we went crazy. We went Christmas crazy!”
Mel then highlighted the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer to look out for, saying: “I think one of the big issues that came out of this for me is that I wasn’t listening to my body.
“I was just full speed ahead, doing my job, travelling the world, doing my thing and living my best life, but all of these symptoms were happening in my body and I wasn’t paying attention.
“There was pain, there was constipation. I hadn’t been to the toilet in three weeks by the time it became acute, and I somehow managed to ignore that.”
DISMISSIVE OF WOMEN’S PAIN
Mel went on to say that she thinks women can ignore symptoms due to the medical industry being dismissive of women’s pain.
She said: “Particularly as women, if we have symptoms in the abdominal region generally we say ‘I’ve got to toughen up – that’s something to do with my cycle’ or ‘It’s a hormonal issue’ and we’ve grown up knowing every month we have pain and we just have to get on with it.
“So we have that tendency to grin and bear it and I think there is a flow there to the medical profession where they are very quick to dismiss a woman with pain.”
‘IT’S NOT AN OLD PERSON’S DISEASE’
Offering advice to those who are experiencing similar symptoms, Mel added: “It’s not an old person’s disease anymore.
“It used to be thought of that way but I’ve been flooded with messages from people in their twenties and thirties who have said ‘I’ve had the same diagnosis as you Mel’ or ‘I’m having similar symptoms. Thanks for the nudge, I’m going to get it checked out.’
What are the red flag warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT'S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest - yet bowel cancer can be cured, if you catch it early enough.
While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.
If you notice any of the signs, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo
- A change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for example
- Pain or a lump in your tummy
- Extreme tiredness
- Losing weight
Tumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
- Gripping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and being unable to pass wind
- Being sick
- Feeling like you need to strain – like doing a number two – but after you’ve been to the loo
While these are all signs to watch out for, experts warn the most serious is noticing blood in your stools.
But, they warn it can prove tricky for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
“So I think my message is, if you’re having symptoms if you’re noticing a change in your bowel habits, let’s not be scared to talk about it anymore – it’s just poo.”
Mel found out about her cancer diagnosis in December 2023 after suffering severe stomach cramps while filming the latest Australian series of Married at First Sight.
DIAGNOSIS IN 2023
When she first announced her diagnosis online, Mel shared a sweet snap of her hugging her husband and daughter, writing: “‘YOU HAVE CANCER‘. Three little words that everyone dreads but no one ever expects to hear.
“Last Thursday my consultant told me those three words.
“About a month ago when I was filming in Australia I developed severe stomach cramps on set, I put it down to all the travel I’d been doing and the upset it caused to my system.
“I saw my GP in Sydney and he put it down to constipation, gave me some laxatives and sent me on my way.
“Fortunately I knew something still wasn’t right so I booked in for a scan when I returned to the UK.
“On Thursday I was told I had colon cancer and in an instant, my whole life changed.”
Mel continued: “Despite this,s I feel incredibly blessed that it’s a cancer that is relatively easy to eradicate, I’m expected to make a full recovery though it’s a rough road ahead.
“I also feel so lucky to have an incredible support network around me, both personally and professionally, my own family and my TV family have been amazing this past few days.
“It will be so tough to spend Xmas Day in hospital instead of being surrounded by family but getting rid of Terry (what I’ve named my tumour) will be the best present of all.
“I just wanted to finish by saying that if something doesn’t feel right, please, please don’t ignore it and if you don’t think the answers you have got are right, keep going until you do, it might just save your life.”