Married At First Sight groom Dave Hand has shared a heartbreaking update regarding his father Howard’s ongoing battle with cancer, two years after first sharing his family’s struggle with viewers.
In an emotional clip posted to social media, the 38-year-old reality star – who recently emerged as a winner on Netflix’s Perfect Match – revealed he had just returned from the hospital with difficult news.
‘The cancer’s growing too quickly, so they’ve stopped all treatment,’ Dave told his followers.
While Dave admitted he ‘knew this was going to happen,’ he confessed that the reality of the situation ‘doesn’t make it any easier.’
Opening up about the emotional toll of the disease, Dave said, ‘Anyone who’s going through cancer struggles with family members or with it themselves, f**k, it’s hard… It just sucks hearing it, man.’
He added, ‘He’s my dad, you know? They’re your loved ones. They’re your mum, your sister, your brother. It f***ing sucks.’
Married At First Sight groom Dave Hand has shared a heartbreaking update regarding his father Howard’s ongoing battle with cancer, two years after first sharing his family’s struggle with viewers
In an accompanying caption, Dave expressed his gratitude for the continued support he and his father have received from fans.
‘This is all a part of life and how brutal it can be, but don’t think for one second it takes away from a lifetime of beautiful memories,’ he wrote, adding that the pair plan to spend quality time together soon.
The post prompted an outpouring of love from the MAFS community. Fellow season 12 groom Teejay Halkias reached out, writing, ‘Thoughts and prayers, Dave, my nana is going through the same thing right now so I understand your pain brother.’
Meanwhile, season nine star Al Perkins commented, ‘Love ya man! Can’t imagine the pain.’
Acknowledging the hundreds of messages from followers sharing their own experiences, Dave noted the collective impact of the disease.
‘It’s so confronting hearing how so many of you are affected by this disease, but so grateful it brings us all together at the same time and know none of us are alone,’ he wrote.
Howard has been fighting cancer for six years. When Dave first appeared on MAFS, he shared the news that his father was unable to attend the wedding as he had just begun chemotherapy for the fourth time.
Though the pair shared a hopeful moment during the show’s Homestays Week when Howard revealed that some of his tumours had shrunk or disappeared, Dave later confirmed in July 2025 the cancer had returned.
In an emotional clip posted to social media, the 38-year-old reality star revealed he had just returned from the hospital with difficult news
‘The cancer’s growing too quickly, so they’ve stopped all treatment,’ Dave told his followers
It comes after Dave broke his silence on his dramatic return to reality TV.
Sitting down with Daily Mail, Dave revealed he nearly quit the Channel Nine dating experiment before signing on for Netflix’s Perfect Match.
The Melbourne tradie, who was paired with bride Jamie Marinos in 2025, confessed that he was pushed to breaking point during filming and even attempted to leave during one of the show’s most emotionally charged moments.
‘I’d never really spoken about this, but during homestays I told Jamie, ‘This isn’t going to work. We’re two different people,” Dave revealed.
‘We’d already had that conversation off-camera, but then when it happened on camera, production said, ‘You’re colluding. You can’t do that.”
Dave claimed he was then pressured to stay.
‘They sat me in a room for six hours saying, ‘You’re staying. You’re the main storyline.”
The reality star said the experience left him emotionally exhausted.
Following his MAFS stint, Dave largely disappeared from the spotlight while many of his co-stars pursued media opportunities.
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