Elle Macpherson, the 60-year-old Australian supermodel, has shared details about her secret battle with breast cancer in her upcoming memoir, Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself. Macpherson reveals that despite strong recommendations from 32 doctors, she chose to forgo chemotherapy and instead opted for a holistic approach to her treatment.
After undergoing a lumpectomy seven years ago, Macpherson was diagnosed with HER2 positive, Estrogen receptor (ER) positive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a form of breast cancer. The diagnosis was unexpected and daunting for the supermodel, who described the experience as “a shock, confusing, and overwhelming.”
In her memoir and an interview with Australia’s Women’s Weekly, Macpherson explained that she was advised to undergo a mastectomy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and breast reconstruction surgery. However, she decided against these conventional treatments. Instead, Macpherson turned to a “heart-led, holistic approach” inspired by her prayers and meditation on a beach in Miami.
“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,” Macpherson told Women’s Weekly. She acknowledged that rejecting traditional medical solutions was incredibly challenging but felt that staying true to her inner sense was even more important.
In her memoir, Macpherson elaborates on her decision to pursue holistic treatment, noting, “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 emphasizes the importance of making choices that resonate personally, despite external skepticism.
“Sometimes an authentic choice from the heart makes no sense to others … but it doesn’t have to,” she added. Macpherson also highlights the need to address both emotional and physical factors when dealing with cancer, a journey she approached with deep reflection and courage.
The full story of Macpherson‘s battle with cancer and her holistic approach will be detailed in her memoir, set to offer a profound look into her personal journey and decisions.