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Australia’s first supermodel Elle Macpherson has recently revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and is now in remission despite refusing chemotherapy.
The model and actress opened up about her cancer battle for the first time in an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly, prior to the release of her brand-new book, Elle.
Elle’s memoir discusses the many wisdoms she has learnt throughout her life and how she managed to make a career out of her natural beauty.
From the drink commercial that launched her career in 1982 to having her own business, Elle has worked hard to get to where she is today. However, it most certainly has not been without challenges.
In one chapter of her new book, subtitled ‘Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff’, Elle openly discusses her experience with breast cancer, from the day she was diagnosed, to her treatment and recovery.
Now 60, Elle has kept her cancer battle private for the past seven years, however, she has decided it is the right time to speak up and discuss her journey.
“It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in
so many ways,” she told AWW.
“And 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. 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.”
Elle, who is also a co-founder of the beauty and wellness firm WelleCo, was recommended a mastectomy followed by radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction by her doctor following her diagnosis.
However, after careful consideration and consultations with 32 different doctors and specialists over several weeks, she chose to pursue a personalised treatment approach.
Elle decided against traditional medicine and instead took a far more holistic approach to recovery. She rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona, for eight months to “holistically treat” her cancer.
During this time, she worked closely with her primary doctor, a naturopath, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and two therapists.
“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 admitted in her book.
“I chose an 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.”
Elle is currently in “clinical remission” and has been for seven years. However, she acknowledges that her decision to forgo chemotherapy received mixed reactions from her family, particularly from her children, Flynn and Cy.
“Sometimes an authentic choice from the heart makes no sense to others … but it doesn’t have to. People thought I was crazy but I knew I had to make a choice that truly resonated with me. To me, that meant addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer. It was time for deep, inner reflection. And that took courage,” she wrote.
In her interview with AWW, she revealed her decision to open up about her journey and reveal her long-kept secret wasn’t to give others advice, but was instead used as a way to encourage and inspire people to do what they feel is right for them.
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