Mel Schilling described severe abdominal cramps, prolonged constipation and loss of appetite before doctors diagnosed bowel cancer in December 2023. The story is historical: Schilling later spoke about treatment and the cancer’s spread, and ABC News reported her death in March 2026.
What symptoms did Mel Schilling have?
In a PerthNow report published on 2 January 2024, Schilling said she experienced severe stomach cramps while filming Married at First Sight in Australia and the UK. She described doubling over in pain and feeling as if her digestive system had “shut down.” A GP reportedly diagnosed constipation, but Schilling initially continued working through the symptoms.
She became especially concerned when she had no appetite on a flight to the UK, including for food she normally enjoyed. Just before Christmas 2023, doctors removed a 5 cm tumour from her colon. In an Instagram video quoted by PerthNow, she said: “My body was quite literally screaming at me for attention and I wasn’t listening.” PerthNow’s 2 January 2024 report
In a later interview, Nine reported that Schilling had also experienced extreme fatigue, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, prolonged constipation and abdominal pain she retrospectively compared with contractions during childbirth. Nine said she was diagnosed in December 2023, underwent surgery to remove the tumour and then received six months of chemotherapy. Nine’s interview
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What are the signs of bowel cancer?
Cancer Council Australia lists the following possible symptoms:
- Bleeding from the back passage
- A change in usual bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain or bloating
- Unexplained weight or appetite loss
- Unexplained tiredness, weakness or breathlessness
These symptoms can have causes other than bowel cancer, and some bowel cancers cause no noticeable symptoms. Symptoms alone cannot confirm or rule out cancer. If you have a concern or symptoms, consult a healthcare professional rather than trying to diagnose yourself. Cancer Council Australia: bowel cancer
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Symptoms and screening are not the same
In Australia, the free National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is available to eligible people aged 45–74. People aged 45–49 can request a test kit; those aged 50–74 are sent one every two years. Cancer Council Australia says screening is for people without symptoms. If you have symptoms, see your doctor: a home screening kit may not be the appropriate assessment for you. Cancer Council Australia: bowel cancer screening
Cancer Council Australia’s current guidance gives a rounded estimate of around 14,000 new bowel cancer cases diagnosed each year in Australia. Cancer Council Australia: bowel cancer screening
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Why this is a historical account
Schilling’s symptoms and diagnosis were reported in late 2023 and early 2024; they are not a current health update. ABC News reported that her cancer later spread and that she died in March 2026. ABC News
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