Woman with same cancer as Mel Schilling reveals the symptoms to be aware of

She's opened up about her symptoms

Jasmin Gobel, 50, initially put her stomach pain down to post-menopausal abdominal pain but when she started experiencing irregular bowel movements six months later she went to her GP.

Doctors initially thought it was internal haemorrhoids and a UTI but a CT scan revealed her bowel was blocked.

She underwent a colonoscopy which revealed a large mass and Jasmin was diagnosed with colorectal cancer - a type of cancer which develops in the colon - in November 2024.

Mel Schilling, from Married At First Sight, said her cancer came to light after abdominal cramps similar to period pains. It was announced today (24) she had died aged 54.

Jasmin has since undergone surgery to have a stoma bag fitted, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as a more recent pelvic exenteration - removing the cervix, womb and ovaries, part of her vagina, her lymph nodes and other organs in the pelvis.

The mum-of-one, from St Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex, said: “It really is about catching the symptoms early.

“The only symptom I had was what felt like period pains, which I had for about nine months before I landed in hospital with a blockage.

“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.

“And if you feel like you have symptoms, don’t let it go, keep pushing for it to be investigated."

Jasmin started getting abdominal pains from the end of 2023, and went for an internal exam in February 2024, but it showed nothing.

Her pain continued on and off and by summer 2024, Jasmin was struggling with her bowels.

She said: “I was still able to go, but it wasn’t normal. They thought it was internal haemorrhoids as I was prone to them so I was given suppositories by the GP, but they didn’t help.

"It just started to get worse."

In October 2024, after visiting the GP for suspected UTI symptoms, Jasmin found herself unable to pass urine and went to A&E.

She found out her bladder was "full to the brim".

Jasmin said: "I was in so much pain that it was actually worse than childbirth. I’ve never experienced anything like it, I was beside myself in absolute agony."

A CT scan revealed Jasmin’s bowel was completely blocked. She was sent home with laxatives and enemas.

Doctors then ordered a FIT test - a stool sample to see if there is blood in it - and when it came back positive she was fast tracked for a colonoscopy.

The colonoscopy revealed a large mass - obstructing her bowel and uterus - which was later confirmed as cancerous.

Jasmin underwent an ileostomy in January 2025 - an operation that defunctions the large bowel and diverts the small bowel through the abdomen into a stoma bag.

But following surgery, she went into urinary retention - when your bladder doesn't empty - and was blue lighted to Eastbourne District General Hospital.

She underwent five cycles of chemotherapy, which did not work, followed by five weeks of daily radiotherapy.

In November 2024, she was told that she needed the pelvic exenteration, which has left her with a number of complications as a result of leakage which caused sepsis.

She now needs to use a catheter whenever she goes to for a wee.

While currently her margins are clear, Jasmin fears that the cancer will return – suffering “scanxiety” as a result.

Jasmin said she has been supported by her partner Charlie Evatt, 48, and her 10-year-old daughter - the same age as Mel’s daughter.

Jasmin said: “My daughter is basically traumatised from the last year.

“The chemo was extremely aggressive and made me so ill.”

Jasmin is sharing her story in the hope that other people can spot their symptoms sooner and get checked out before they get to crisis point.

She said: “When you’re having symptoms, you’re already quite far down the road.

“And the symptoms can be so subtle or mimic other things – people don’t know what to look out for.

“The treatment is harsh and lifechanging. You never expect to be thrown into such a serious situation when you’re not even 50.”