“Married at First Sight” actress Melanie Schilling, 52, took a romantic birthday getaway with her husband in Amsterdam while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer.
She was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas of last year. She’s been undergoing chemotherapy since having surgery last December to remove a 5-centimeter tumor from her colon.
Many experts agree that making time for what you enjoy during the cancer journey can provide huge benefits — both physically and mentally.
Schilling’s diagnosis in her early 50s is another reminder of how important it is to get regular colon cancer screenings with a colonoscopy.
The advantage of a colonoscopy is that your doctor can remove any polyps found during the test. Many colon cancers can be caught on colonoscopies before they develop or when the polyps are small enough to be removed without surgery.
“Married at First Sight” actress Melanie Schilling, 52, is just a few months removed from a shocking cancer diagnosis. However, the mother of one isn’t letting cancer stop her from enjoying bright spots in her life, including a romantic European getaway for her birthday.
“What a fabulous way to turn 52! With my favorite person in Amsterdam, on a boat, surrounded by tulips,” Schilling wrote in an Instagram caption.
Schilling and her husband Gareth snapped photos of them enjoying dinner, slow-cruising on a yacht, and more amid picturesque settings.
Instagram user Sandy Rea commented, “That is such a beautiful way to spoil a beautiful person. Happiest of birthdays, darling Mel.”
Last month, Schilling updated fans on her cancer journey by saying she’s doing well.
“I’m doing well. So, this is currently a week off in my chemo cycles, which is why I’ve got quite a lot of energy,” she previously shared with the “Heart Breakfast” radio show.
Schilling added that the type of chemotherapy she’s undergoing “doesn’t really make [her] sick” and that she isn’t expected to lose her hair. However, she says her chemo treatment still leaves less severe side effects such as “tingly fingers” and “sensitivity to cold.”
Schilling underwent an operation to remove a 5-centimeter tumor.
“A tumor that had it gone undetected for much longer would have killed me,” she said.
Despite the nerve-wracking cancer diagnosis, Schilling says she feels “incredibly blessed that it’s a cancer that is relatively easy to eradicate” and that she’s expected to make a full recovery.
She has her family by her side, offering the actress much-needed support. Supportive fans online also showered Schilling with added support.
Schilling’s Cancer Diagnosis
Colon cancer is very treatable and curable if caught early. Colon cancer screenings can involve at-home tests such as Cologuard, but a colonoscopy is more effective, according to SurvivorNet experts. A colonoscopy involves using a long, thin tube attached to a camera to examine the colon and rectum. If no polyps are discovered, the following screening won’t be needed for ten years. Polyps are small growths in the colon that are not yet cancerous but can potentially develop into cancer.
WATCH: How doctors can remove precancerous polyps during a colonoscopy.
The cancer starts when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum. It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to become full-blown cancer, according to SurvivorNet experts.
“When we see a polyp, we actually physically remove it through the colonoscope,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, explained.
WATCH: The signs and symptoms of colon cancer.
The most poignant signature of colon cancer is a change in bowel habits. Changes in the size or shape of bowel movements may cause constipation or diarrhea. A change in stool color, mainly black or tarry stools, can indicate bleeding from a tumor deep in the colon.
Other symptoms can be harder to pinpoint, such as abdominal pain and unintentional weight loss. Finally, some tumors bleed a small amount over a long period, resulting in anemia (low red blood cell count) that is picked up on blood work.
The American Cancer Society and the American Gastrointestinal Association recommend that colorectal screening begin at age 45. However, it would be best to discuss your screening timeline with your doctor because if colorectal cancer runs in your family, earlier screening may be optimal.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are dealing with a new colon cancer diagnosis and are unsure where to begin conversations with your doctor, consider starting with these questions.
What’s the current prognosis of my cancer?
What are the potential side effects of my recommended treatment?
Will the side effects affect my ability to travel to my job, or will remote work be more optimal?
How long is my treatment expected to last?
If I cannot return to work as normal, what financial resources are available while I take a leave of absence?
