Mel Schilling: Married at First Sight star reveals cancer diagnosis

Married at First Sight dating coach Mel Schilling has shared that she has received a cancer diagnosis. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Schilling revealed that she was informed about having colon cancer last week. She disclosed that her Christmas plans would be spent in the hospital, undergoing an operation to remove a tumor.

A fixture in the MAFS cast since 2016, initially in Australia and later on the UK version of the show airing on E4, the 51-year-old is one of the three relationship experts on the UK series, alongside Paul Brunson and Charlene Douglas. Schilling shared the news through a photo on Instagram featuring her husband Gareth and daughter Madison.

Schilling recounted experiencing severe stomach cramps a few months ago and initially being told it was constipation. After further examination, cancer was discovered through a scan. Despite the unexpected change in plans, she expressed feeling blessed that the cancer was treatable and that she is expected to make a full recovery, though acknowledging a challenging road ahead.

In her Instagram post, Schilling mentioned her planned Christmas trip to Northern Ireland and the irony of checking into the hospital instead. She emphasized the importance of early detection, revealing that the 5cm tumor in her colon could have been fatal if left undetected for an extended period.

While acknowledging the difficulty of spending Christmas Day in the hospital instead of with family, she highlighted that ridding herself of the tumor would be the best gift. Schilling encouraged others not to ignore any signs that feel unusual and emphasized the importance of persisting until the right answers are found, potentially saving lives.

Colon cancer, a form of bowel cancer, sees approximately 42,000 new cases diagnosed in the UK each year, according to Cancer Research UK.