At 60, the Australian icon is opening up about her battle with the disease, which she kept a secret for seven years. She also spoke about why she refused to undergo chemotherapy. “It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways,” she told Australian Women’s Weekly about finding out she had cancer.
Elle Macpherson opened up about her battle with breast cancer for the first time since her diagnosis seven years ago
Share icon Image credits: ellemacpherson Share icon Image credits: ellemacpherson “It really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me…I realised I was going to need my own truth, my belief system to support me through it,” she told the outlet. “And that’s what I did. So, it was a wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action that I had chosen,” she continued. The supermodel, who detailed her battle with cancer in her new memoir titled Elle, said she was diagnosed with HER2 positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma—a specific type of breast cancer characterized by excessive copies of the HER2 gene. While having discussions with her doctor about a treatment plan, their conversations included terms like radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction.
At 60, the Australian supermodel revealed her decision to forgo chemotherapy in favor of an “intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach”
A post shared by Elle Macpherson (@ellemacpherson) Share icon Image credits: ellemacpherson After several weeks of deliberation and advice from 32 doctors and experts, the renowned style icon decided not to undergo chemotherapy and opted for a non-pharmaceutical path. “I came to the understanding that there was no sure thing and absolutely no guarantees. There was no ‘right’ way, just the right way for me,” she wrote in her book. “I chose a holistic approach. Saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder.” She admitted that people thought she was “crazy,” but the choice “resonated” with her. She also asserted that the path she took is not for everyone.
After consulting with 32 doctors and experts, the Australian icon chose a non-pharmaceutical path, which she said might not work for everyone
Share icon Image credits: ellemacpherson Share icon Image credits: ellemacpherson Elle, founder of the wellness brand WelleCo, said she spent eight months alone in a house in Phoenix, Arizona, where she was “focusing and devoting every single minute to healing [herself].” She also had the guidance of several specialists, including her primary doctor, a doctor of naturopathy, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and two therapists. While talking about her health now, she revealed that “in traditional terms,” she was in clinical remission. But she preferred to say, “I’m in utter wellness.” “Truly, from every perspective, every blood test, every scan, every imaging test … but also emotionally, spiritually and mentally – not only physically,” she told the outlet. “It’s not only what your blood tests say, it’s how and why you are living your life on all levels.”
Some netizens felt her courage was “impressive,” while others called her decision “so dangerous”
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