A mother has urged people to be aware of colon cancer symptoms following the death of Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling. Jasmin Gobel, 50, from St Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex, was diagnosed with the disease in summer 2024 after experiencing constipation, changes in bowel movements, and stomach pains.
Gobel initially dismissed her symptoms as post-menopausal abdominal pain but sought medical help when her bowel movements became irregular. Doctors suspected haemorrhoids or a UTI, but a CT scan revealed a blocked bowel. She underwent five cycles of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiotherapy, along with surgery for a stoma bag and a pelvic exenteration.
Mel Schilling, a dating expert on MAFS Australia and UK, died after a battle with colon cancer diagnosed in 2023. The cancer had spread to her lungs and brain. Gobel, who had similar symptoms, said: 'It really is about catching the symptoms early. The only symptom I had was what felt like period pains, for about nine months before I landed in hospital with a blockage.'
She added: 'People don't associate some of the symptoms with cancer - like constipation, a change in bowel movements, and stomach pains - but it's really important to be aware. If you feel like you have symptoms, don't let it go, keep pushing for it to be investigated.'
Gobel, supported by partner Charlie Evatt and her 10-year-old daughter, encouraged others to get checked. The NHS notes that while colon cancer is most common in people aged 50 and over, it can affect younger individuals.
