A doctor’s advice on the early warning signs of bowel cancer is being shared again following the sudden death of Married At First Sight host, Mel Schilling.
The Brisbane-born TV presenter died yesterday, only weeks after revealing that her bowel cancer had progressed and spread.
A statement posted by her husband, Gareth, on Instagram said she had died ‘peacefully’ and ‘surrounded by love’.
In comments to Metro, Dr Robin Clark, medical director for Bupa Global and UK, detailed some of the most common early symptoms of bowel cancer and encouraged anyone noticing them to speak with their doctor.
He said one early sign that should never be ignored is blood in the stool. “If you’ve had blood in your poo for no obvious reason, you should see your GP,” he said.
“The blood can be bright or dark red on the surface or mixed in with the poo, or you may notice it in the toilet bowl. Occasionally, it can make your poo look black, like tar.”
Dr Clark also pointed to ongoing changes in bowel habits as another possible indicator. “This includes having to poo more or feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bowel when you’ve been – your poo may be looser, or you may find it harder to go. If any of these changes last for three weeks or more, you should see your GP.”
He added that stomach or abdominal pain after eating is another symptom that warrants medical attention.
“Don’t put it off, as early diagnosis really does save lives,” he said.
Other potential signs can include unexpected weight loss and persistent, severe fatigue without an obvious explanation.
Schilling, an Australian-born former psychologist, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023 after earlier symptoms — including constipation and tiredness — went unaddressed.
After she returned to the UK following MAFS filming, her doctor referred her for a scan, which detected a tumor in her bowel.
The tumor was removed surgically and she was initially told she was clear of cancer. But in February 2024, a routine scan reportedly showed small nodules in her lungs, indicating the disease had spread.
She went through sixteen rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to film the popular dating series, though her health ultimately did not improve.
Medical professionals have repeatedly stressed that finding bowel cancer early can significantly improve outcomes.
Guts UK says 90 percent of cases are extremely treatable when the disease is identified at an early stage.
In Schilling’s case, reports indicate warning signs were missed because she did not have one of the best-known symptoms — blood in the stool.
Instead, she experienced months of intense stomach cramps, which were repeatedly attributed to constipation.
In 2023, she told Australian broadcaster ABC: “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.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.