Mel Schilling's advice to women about 'medical gaslighting' before her death

'Married at First Sight' fans are feeling a massive loss, with relationship expert Mel Schilling passing away at 54 after a long and incredibly brave battle with cancer.

Mel leaves behind more than just her time on screen - she also leaves a message that’s going to stick with a lot of people, particularly women, to "listen to your body".

In an interview earlier this year on the British talk show 'Lorraine', Mel got real about something many women recognise - the pressure to just push through pain, especially when it comes to anything going on in the abdominal area.

“Particularly as women, if we have symptoms in the abdominal region, generally, we say ‘I’ve gotta toughen up’,” she said. “You know, [we think] that’s got something to do with my cycle, or it’s a hormonal issue, and we just have to get on with it.”

It’s a mindset Mel knew too well.

Her cancer journey began in December 2023, when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. After surgery and initial treatment brought some hope, the cancer later spread to her lungs, and more recently to her brain, despite going through 16 rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

So in honour of Mel, it feels only right to highlight the advice she was so passionate about sharing - especially for women when it comes to backing themselves and their health.

Speaking to Woman’s Day Australia, Mel revealed her early symptoms were initially brushed off by medical professionals.

“It was basically medical gaslighting, he completely minimised it,” she said. Weeks later, she found out she had a bowel blockage caused by a tumour.

I’ve been learning a lot about the gender pain gap. Anything to do with our abdominal region, as women, is straight away considered to be something hormonal. That you should just suck it up and get on with it, princess.

At the time though, she pushed through - even heading back to film 'MAFS' while in serious pain.

“I can barely even remember those two nights of filming,” she admitted. “When I watch it back, it’s like this out-of-body experience because I know it’s me, but I don’t remember saying any of those things. I think my body was in shock.”

As a self-confessed workaholic, Mel kept going when she probably shouldn’t have - something she acknowledged could’ve gone very differently if she hadn’t eventually pushed for more answers.

And that became one of the biggest messages she wanted people to take away.

“I know the position I’m in and the profile I have,” she said. “And I found myself in this position because I wasn’t listening to my body.”

In her 'Lorraine' interview, Mel shared her biggest takeaway.

I’ve learned you do NOT say ‘Yes, thank you’ to the doctor. You say ‘Tell me more’, and if you’re not happy with the answer, you ask for more, you get a second and third opinion.

Mel didn’t just help people navigate relationships on telly - she used her voice to stand up for women’s health, call out medical dismissal, and remind people to trust themselves when something doesn’t feel right.

Her honesty, her strength, and her message will stick with many of us.

She will be sorely missed.