Turned down chemo

Elle Macpherson reveals battle against breast cancer

Elle Macpherson has now revealed her secret battle against breast cancer. She has decided against chemotherapy and in favor of "holistic treatment", she explained.

(Bild: APA/AFP/JULIEN DE ROSA)

For the first time, Elle Macpherson has spoken about her secret battle with breast cancer. The top model was diagnosed seven years ago.

In her memoir "Life, Lessons, and Learning to Turst Yourself", Elle Macpherson revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer but decided against chemotherapy against the advice of 32 doctors and experts. According to the 60-year-old, she is now in remission.

"It was a shock"
Speaking to Women's Weekly, Macpherson explained: "It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it gave me the opportunity to dive deep inside myself to find a solution that worked for me."

After surgery seven years ago to remove a tumor, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. The doctor then recommended a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and breast reconstruction as treatment.

But Macpherson, who has become known for her holistic wellness-style living in recent years, decided against the traditional treatment as it was "a wonderful exercise in staying true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the approach I had," the top model said.

"The hardest thing I've ever done"
She had prayed and meditated on the beach in Miami and came to the realization that she didn't want to fight her cancer with medicine, but with an "intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach". "Saying no to traditional medicine was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," says Macpherson. However, she was of the opinion that chemotherapy and surgery were "too extreme". 

Elle Macpherson has now spoken about her battle with breast cancer.

(Bild: Felix Hörhager / dpa / picturedesk.com)

Of course everyone thought she was crazy, Macpherson now admitted. However, she had made progress with her alternative treatment plan, which "took into account both emotional and physical factors associated with breast cancer".

Wanted to treat cancer "holistically"
She rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona, for eight months where she "holistically treated" her cancer under the supervision of her doctor, a naturopathic doctor, a holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists. She had spent her days "focusing every single minute on healing again", the 60-year-old explained.

She is now in "clinical remission", but prefers to call it "absolute well-being". 

Sons of divided opinion
Macpherson also revealed that her sons had different opinions about her decision. While her younger son Cy (21) supported her because he thought chemotherapy was "the kiss of death", Flynn (26) was "not happy with my decision at all". "But he is still my son and would support me through anything and love me despite my choice, even if he didn't agree with it."

Elle MacPherson with her son Flynn, who, like Cy, comes from her marriage to Arpad Busson

(Bild: APA/AFP/Geoffroy Van der Hasselt)

Her ex-husband Arpad Busson, whom Elle Macpherson divorced back in 2005, also did not understand why she wanted to forgo chemotherapy. However, he wrote her a letter in which he explained that he was "proud of the courage I showed". 

Alongside Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford, Elle Macpherson was one of the top models of the 80s and 90s. Her dream measurements earned her the nickname "The Body". The Australian celebrated her 60th birthday at the end of March.