MAFS dating coach Mel Schilling has revealed her “light is starting to fade” after being told her cancer is incurable.
The star of hit show was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2023.
After initially going into remission, the 54-year-old began suffering “blinding headaches” over Christmas last year and was given the devastating news that there was nothing more doctors could do.
In a heart-breaking Instagram post, Mel said: “Simple tasks have become incredibly difficult and I am relying on my beautiful family to look after me.
“I honestly don’t know how long I have left, but I do know I will fight to my last breath and will be surrounded by the love and support of my people.”
She pleaded with her followers to get worrying symptoms checked out sooner rather than later.
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“If I could leave you with one thing, it would simply be this: if something doesn’t feel right, please get it checked out,” Mel said.
“It might just save your life.”
Almost 44,000 people a year in the UK are diagnosed with cancer in their bowel, which is part of the digestive system.
It’s the second deadliest cancer in the UK, claiming 16,500 lives a year.
Most cases are spotted in people over 50, but the disease is increasingly affecting younger patients.
The cancer can affect your toilet habits, which many people may feel embarrassed about bringing up with a doctor.
But it’s important to remember that they’ve heard all of this before and it’s best to get red flag symptoms checked out as soon as possible.
These can include:
- Bleeding from your bottom
- Blood in your poo
- A change in your pooing habits. You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go
- Losing weight but you’re not sure why
- Feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why
- A pain or lump in your tummy
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 of bowel cancer 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
For Mel, who joined Married At First Sight Australia in 2016 before appearing in the UK version, bowel cancer first manifested as severe stomach cramps.
Initially she was told constipation was to blame, before scans revealed she had a tumour in her bowel.
The dating expert detailed the process of her diagnosis and treatment in her Instagram post.
She wrote: “In December 2023 I was diagnosed with colon cancer after a tumour the size of a lemon was discovered during a scan.
“‘Terry’, as I called him, was successfully removed and I was initially given the all clear — that much many of you already know.
“Unfortunately, in late February 2024 during a routine scan, small nodules were discovered in my lungs.
“The cancer had metastasised and my world changed again in an instant.
“Over the past two years, while filming MAFS, I underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy and was later told I was eligible for a groundbreaking clinical trial specific to my gene type, due to start in March 2026.
“Once again, my optimism soared that I might beat this thing.”
The mum-of-one continued: “Over Christmas, however, I began experiencing blinding headaches and numbness down my right side.
What are the risk factors of bowel cancer?
You’re at greater risk of bowel cancer if you have one or more of the following risk factors:
- You’re aged over 50
- You have a strong family history of the disease
- A history of non-cancerous growths, known as polyps, in your bowel
- Long-term inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
- Type 2 diabetes
- You smoke, are overweight or obese and do not get enough exercise
“After many tests I was told the cancer had spread to the left side of my brain and, despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, my oncology team have now told me there is nothing further they can do.
“Hearing those words changes everything. So that’s where I am now. My light is starting to fade — and quickly.”
Mel had revealed last month that she was stepping back from MAFS Australia to put her health first and be with her family – which include her husband Gareth and daughter Maddie, 10.
She concluded her post by thanking them and saying: “I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love.”
When bowel cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is known as advanced or metastatic bowel cancer.
According to Bowel Cancer UK, it’s common for the disease to spread to the liver, lungs or peritoneum – a thin layer of tissue that covers the organs in your tummy.
But it can also travel to the bones, ovaries or brain, though this is rarer.