Mel Schilling's tragedy as the star was waiting on life-saving treatment before death
Mel Schilling held onto a final glimmer of hope in her battle against cancer before one phone call altered everything. The cherished MAFS star has passed away at the age of 54, just days after disclosing that cancer had spread to her brain.A fan favourite on the hit E4 show, Mel's charm and bubbly personality lit up every room. However behind the scenes, the dating coach was struggling with her health. Taking to Instagram to announce her death with a heartbreaking statement, her husband Gareth Brisbane stated: "Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love."In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life. It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me."Earlier this month, Mel shared on Instagram that her diagnosis was terminal, with medics sadly informing her there was nothing more they could do to treat her condition. Mel, who shared a 10 year old daughter, Maddie, with her husband, told her followers: "My light is starting to fade - and quickly. But I am still here, still fighting, and surrounded by the most incredible love."The Australian television personality, who was misdiagnosed twice, first suspected something was wrong when she began suffering from severe stomach pain and found herself unable to eat or even use the toilet. In December 2023, a scan revealed a "tumour the size of a lemon" in her colon, leading to a diagnosis of colon cancer, the Mirror reports.Although the tumour, which Mel affectionately named 'Terry', was successfully removed, this was just the start of her ordeal. During a routine scan in February 2024, small nodules were detected on her lung, indicating that the cancer had spread.Exhausting treatmentIn her social media post, Mel reflected on how her "world changed again in an instant" upon receiving her diagnosis. Over the next two years, she underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy whilst continuing to film for MAFS, striving to maintain some sense of normality and selfhood. To viewers, Mel appeared as cheerful and composed as ever, but the reality of working whilst battling cancer was incredibly difficult.During a candid interview with OK! magazine in January 2025, Mel admitted: "There were definitely times when I came off set, and I was in tears, or I was vomiting. It was hard." Although Mel and her family usually enjoy watching the series back, during her final seasons, this became a "bittersweet" experience.Mel, who worked alongside fellow experts Charlene Douglas and Paul C. Brunson to match singletons, confessed: "I found it tough to watch back on TV. It was bittersweet because I didn't look or sound like myself. I noticed that I wasn't speaking up or giving things my full attention. I didn't have that energy. Gareth found it tough, too. He was like, 'It just isn't you'. I think it was the first time we realised I actually looked sick."Fortunately, Mel, who joined the popular dating experiment show in 2016, received a wealth of "wonderful" support on set. In a 2024 interview with the Mirror, she shared: "I was going through chemo the whole time we were filming the UK series. The team was just crowding around me to give me as much flexibility and support as they possibly could. They really cared for me. It wasn't easy, but it was so wonderful to be able to work because it enabled me to still feel like me."Crushed optimismJust a few months prior, self-proclaimed "eternal optimist" Mel had remained hopeful that there was light at the end of the tunnel, after being informed she was eligible for "a groundbreaking clinical trial specific to [her] gene type." The trial was scheduled for March 2026 and, according to Mel, "Once again, my optimism soared that I might beat this thing."Unfortunately, things deteriorated over the Christmas period when Mel started experiencing "blinding headaches" alongside numbness down her right side. Mel explained: "After many tests, I was told the cancer had spread to the left side of my brain and, despite subsequent radiotherapy sessions, my oncology team have now told me there is nothing further they can do."Contemplating how "hearing those words changes everything", Mel shared some advice with her followers, emphasising: "If I could leave you with one thing, it would simply be this: if something doesn't feel right, please get it checked out. It might just save your life."'Cheerleader' daughterDuring the same interview, Mel disclosed how her "cheerleader" daughter Maddie provided unwavering support behind the scenes, whilst expressing her sorrow over the ordinary parenting moments she'd been unable to enjoy because of her condition.She stated: "Maddie understood enough when I was having chemo, and she knew I'd be very emotional in the days following it. I'd have a lot of tears and difficulty walking at times. So she was definitely aware."But it was hard. I remember one time, she came running into my bedroom to show me a dance that she'd made up – chip off the old block. But I didn't even have the energy to watch her dance, and that just broke my heart, because we bond over things like that, and I just couldn't."Mel's connection with her young daughter holds particular significance given the TV personality's difficult path to becoming a mother.In a previous interview with Woman's Day in February 2022, she recalled: "I didn't think I was going to be a mum. I was single for my entire 30s, and having a baby wasn't even on my radar until it was almost too late!" A heartbreaking miscarriage at 40 made Mel realise how much she wanted to have a child, and she and Gareth later welcomed Maddie through IVF.Mel has previously praised her Northern Irish husband, Gareth, for being her rock during her health battles. The couple first met on dating site eHarmony when Mel was 39 and had been single for several years. They tied the knot in 2018 with a small ceremony in Bali, and now live in London, with Mel dividing her time between the UK and Australia for her MAFS work.She said, "I can't imagine getting through this process without him. He really stepped in and took a lot of things off my plate. Even small decisions like what I'm going to have for lunch became tough, but he intuitively knew to help."Mel also emphasised how crucial the support of her husband and daughter was to her in her Instagram post, which included a touching photograph of the family hugging beside a Christmas tree.Describing Gareth and Maddie as her "everything", she wrote: "Simple tasks have become incredibly difficult, and I am relying on my beautiful family to look after me. I honestly don't know how long I have left, but I do know I will fight to my last breath and will be surrounded by the love and support of my people."
