MAFS star Mel Schilling outlines colon cancer symptoms as she shares significant health update
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Scotland. Around 4,000 Scots get bowel cancer every year, according to Public Health Scotland.
It is a form of the disease that is often curable with surgery, and new treatments are improving survival rates. Early diagnosis is key, and nine out of ten people survive bowel cancer if it's found early.
Mel Schilling is known for her tough love as a dating coach on Married At First Sight UK. But when the 53-year-old romance guru appeared on ITV's Lorraine this week, she shared the news that she is in remission from colon cancer.
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"One of the big issues is I wasn't listening to my body," Mel explained. "All of these symptoms were happening in my body and I wasn't paying attention."
Mel, who helps guide couples to marital bliss on the hit Channel 4 series, experienced pain, constipation, and hadn't been to the toilet for three weeks by the time her condition became acute.
"I somehow managed to ignore that," Mel went on. "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'.
"We've grown up knowing that every month we have pain and we just have to get on with it, so we have that tendency to grin and bear it. I think there's a flow on there to the medical profession where they're very quick to dismiss a woman with pain."
The relationship expert urged viewers that if they're having symptoms, like noticing a change in their bowel habits, to seek medical advice and not be scared to talk about it.
"I've learned that you do not say 'yes, thank you, doctor,' you say, 'tell me more' and if you're not happy with the answer, ask for more, get a second and third opinion. That's one of the messages I want to get clear."
Mel added: "It's not an old person's disease as once commonly thought. People in their 20s and 30s have messaged me saying they've had a similar diagnosis or have symptoms and are going to get them checked out."
Many people with colon cancer don't have symptoms at first, according to the Mayo Clinic. When symptoms appear, they'll likely depend on the cancer's size and where it is in the large intestine.
Symptoms of colon cancer can include:
A change in bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation.
Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool.
Ongoing discomfort in the belly area, such as cramps, gas or pain.
A feeling that the bowel doesn't empty all the way during a bowel movement.
Weakness or tiredness.
Losing weight without trying.
