Mel McLaughlin has graced our screens as a Channel 7 sports presenter for years, but in January, she stepped away to battle lung cancer. Now, after many months, Mel has returned to our screens.
She returned to her customary role on 7NEWS for Sydney’s 6pm bulletin on April 12, telling her co-anchors Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox, “Great to be back, I missed both of your pretty faces.”
However, this won’t be a permanent return. Director of News and Current Affairs, Ray Kuka has confirmed Mel will ease back into work, “at her own pace.”
“She’ll do a few days here and there whenever she feels up to it,” Ray said. “She has our full support and no doubt the full support of Sydney.”
Mel first shared the news of her cancer diagnosis in March, speaking in a special segment with her co-anchor Mark on 7NEWS. In the years Mel has presented on our screens, she has kept her personal life a mystery, opting to share moments from her career rather than intimate moments. But speaking with Mark, Mel was ready to open up with one goal: awareness.
“The reason why I wanted to do it is not to talk about me, it’s awareness,” said Mel in her statement. “It’s the biggest cancer killer in the country. It’s got a terrible stigma. I feel like I owe it to my sister. I just owe it to people that maybe could get something out of this. Smoker, non-smoker – no one deserves lung cancer.”
Lung cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer in Australia. However, it is the deadliest.
Unfortunately, this isn’t completely new territory for Mel, who sadly lost her sister Tara a decade ago to a rare and aggressive ALK lung cancer. While speaking to Mark, Mel confessed the diagnosis was “triggering” and “traumatic.”
“Obviously you don’t want to worry anyone. In our family I didn’t want anyone to think lung cancer meant death, we had one example and we lost her,” she confessed.
Tara was just 39-years-old at the time, survived by her husband Sean and two sons, Harry and Flynn.
Previously speaking with The Weekly, Mel shared it was “still hard” to talk about her sister’s passing. In honour of her sister, Mel became a vocal ambassador for Lung Foundation Australia.
“It took me years to get involved. The mortality rate is disgusting, and the stigma is staggering,” she said in 2022. “The Foundation needs more money and attention. Maybe I’m not doing enough, but I’m trying.”
Mel was diagnosed in December 2025 and promptly left television in January 2026. The 46-year-old was expected to return in February, before Seven confirmed that Mel wouldn’t return until March 15 “at the earliest.”
Shortly after her diagnosis, Mel underwent surgery to remove half of her lung. Thankfully, Mel’s cancer was discovered early, admitting she was “lucky.”
“I think that was my big sister. I definitely think she’s with me,” she said, adding, “Recovery is slow, but good.”
Dr Levi Bassin, who also appeared on the program, now has the purpose of discovering why two sisters, both non-smokers, faced the same disease.
“We look at the genetics, and we don’t think they’re related, but they must be, I would think. It’s too weird otherwise,” Dr Levi shared on 7NEWS. “It’s usually stage three or four where surgery doesn’t have as much of a role. So, we really want to catch it when it’s early like with [Mel], and that was luck.”
Now, Mel is eager to get back to work and determined to host the Commonwealth Games which begin in July, followed by the Rugby League World Cup.
For more information on how you can help support and fund cancer research, head to the Lung Foundation Australia website and Cancer Council.
