Jane Locke, 66, from New Milton, Hampshire, initially believed she was suffering from haemorrhoids in January 2021, but was later diagnosed with rectal cancer after a medical examination. Her experience mirrors that of Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling, who recently revealed her colon cancer has become terminal.
Locke noticed symptoms including bleeding after bowel movements and a lump in the anal region. After her condition did not improve by July, she consulted her GP. In September, during an appointment at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, a surgeon diagnosed rectal cancer while she was on the operating table. The procedure was halted, and she was informed she might need a stoma bag.
Further tests revealed stage one rectal cancer, and she began chemotherapy and radiotherapy in November 2021. Two weeks into treatment, she suffered a severe allergic reaction to chemotherapy tablets, causing her body to swell. Doctors warned she could die if not monitored, but she ultimately recovered.
Mel Schilling first noticed severe stomach cramps while filming MAFS in Australia. Two doctors dismissed her symptoms as constipation or fatigue, but after returning to the UK, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Despite surgery and chemotherapy, the cancer spread to her brain and lungs, and she has been given a terminal diagnosis.
Locke, who works as head of English at a school, said the diagnosis was a shock but she was not surprised. She completed treatment and continues to monitor her health.
