MAFS' Mel Schilling gives update on cancer battle: 'Blown away'

MAFS relationship expert Mel Schilling has given her fans an update after revealing earlier this week that she is battling colon cancer. Taking to Instagram on Friday, Mel revealed her tumour, which she had named Terry, is now gone.

"Terry, you are the weakest link…goodbye!" she wrote alongside a snap of her taken from her hospital bed, where she gives a big thumbs up. "So yesterday lunchtime, I had keyhole surgery to remove my tumour (AKA Terry), and in the words of my amazing surgeon, it couldn’t have gone any better!

"Crucially, the cancer hadn’t spread to my abdominal cavity, which was our greatest fear, but was entirely localized in my colon. Over the coming days I will discuss my treatment plan going forwards but suffice to say that Terry is toast!"

She added, "I have been absolutely blown away by the countless messages of support I have received from all of you beautiful people, I am so very touched and can honestly say it’s made a difference, so thank you all."

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Mel also went on to thank those working in the UK's NHS, writing, "Everyone from my consultant to the surgical team and especially the wonderful nurses managing my recovery have been just superb. It’s not just their professionalism but also their genuine concern, bedside manner (especially the nurses) and their endlessly sunny disposition, despite working up to 14 hour days.

"I owe all of these wonderful people my life and I will be forever indebted to them. The NHS is a unique, precious institution we need to make sure it’s here to serve our children and our children’s children."

She finished off the lengthy post by adding, "Now, it's time to focus on getting my a** out of here in time for Christmas."

Her followers were happy to see the update, with one user writing, "So happy for you!! And love your attitude towards the big C! Hope you have a good recovery ❤️‍🩹 sending lots of love as always."

"Wishing you a speedy recovery and so glad you caught it early," another said. "Your gut instinct was right to get it checked by a second medical professional."

"I’m so glad. You’re so strong, vibrant and positive, always … love you .. thinking of you," former MAFS star Jules Robinson wrote.

"Glad that Terry has taken a hike! Love your positivity. Keep shining love," Rebecca Gibney said.

Mel's cancer diagnosis

Mel shared a lengthy post on social media on Wednesday morning, telling her followers that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

"'YOU HAVE CANCER'. Three little words that everyone dreads but no one ever expects to hear,” she captioned a photo of herself hugging her husband, Gareth Brisbane, and their eight-year-old daughter Madison.

"Last Thursday, my consultant told me those three words."

Mel explained that she had developed "severe stomach cramps" while filming the upcoming season of MAFS in Australia last month.

"I put it down to all the travel I’d been doing and the upset it caused to my system," she wrote. "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. On Thursday I was told I had colon cancer and in an instant my whole life changed."

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