Married at First Sight expert Mel Schilling has been open about her journey with bowel cancer and is determined to raise awareness about it.
In January 2025, she revealed to 9Entertainment that she was in remission, and now, she wants to destigmatise the disease and encourage others to look out for themselves.
She has joined Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia’s joint campaign, encouraging people to look beyond the taboos associated with bowel cancer and keep an eye on their health. It also coincides with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in June.
Speaking exclusively with New Idea, the dating and relationship coach said being a part of the campaign was a “no-brainer”.
Knowing the signs
“The idea that it crept up on me and took me by surprise and, given I have a platform and I have the privilege of being able to speak to lots of people at a time, it is just such a no-brainer for me be to be able to raise awareness for people to actually avoid getting to the point that I got to,” she explained.
If detected early, the disease is highly treatable. Statistics from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveal it’s the fourth-deadliest cancer in the country.
“I feel like I made the mistake of ignoring my body and now I have the opportunity to pay something forward to let people know the information they need to know so that they don’t leave it too late because there’s incredibly strong statistics indicating that if you catch bowel cancer early, it’s 99% treatable,” Mel said.
“So that’s that’s why I want to be involved, to be able to use my voice in a way that can stop other people getting into the pickle that I got into.”
As part of the campaign, Kleenex’s toilet paper rolls will include messages encouraging people to check their poo and learn more about bowel cancer symptoms. Symptoms include blood in one’s stool, obvious changes in one’s bowel habits, and extreme tiredness.
“What I like about that is that it’s just you and your inner voice,” she said about the campaign.
“There’s no one else’s influence or messages there when you’re alone on the loo. And I like that that’s a private moment to look at that loo role and with the message to check your poo without anyone’s influence, to just do that and listen to your body, listen to your inner voice.”
Breaking the taboo
According to a poll by Bowel Cancer Australia and Kleenex did with more than 1000 Aussies, 73.6% of them weren’t checking their poo for signs of bowel cancer.
The research also found that 38.6% of respondents revealed they were uncomfortable talking about their bowel habits. The campaign aims to catch people when they are alone to think more about their health.
“Because it feels a bit icky, feels a bit embarrassing, no one really likes to talk about poo,” Mel said. “But it’s just another bodily function. It’s like blowing your nose.”
At the moment, Australians are eligible for bowel cancer screenings from the age of 45, and nationally, people can get tested from the age of 40 if they want a screening.
Seeking help
But from her experience, the dating expert encouraged people to speak up, listen to their bodies, and push for a test if they want it.
“I was sent away with laxatives,” she revealed. “And there was a massive tumour in my colon, but the GP was saying, ‘Oh, you’ll be fine. You know, just take these laxatives, clear yourself out, and you’ll be fine.’ And I wasn’t.”
“I guess my message is scream it out. Don’t take no for an answer. You know your body. If it feels wrong, keep asking, keep asking until you get a poo test.
If you want to learn more about the campaign, head to poocheck.com.au.
