Elle Macpherson has shared her secret cancer battle.
The supermodel, 60, also revealed that she chose not to undergo chemotherapy treatment, despite the advice she received from 32 doctors. Elle revealed she was diagnosed with the disease in 2017 but admits she "trusted the nature" of her body and the "course of action" she had chosen.
In a candid admission, the Australian icon admits she was left in shock when she received the diagnosis. At the time, she underwent a lumpectomy – a removal of the cancer tissues from the breast. Elle was diagnosed with HER2-positive oestrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma. Medics advised the star to undergo a mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and a reconstruction of her breast.
At the time, she made the decision to go against traditional medicine. She said that she was being "true" to herself and trusting her own body. The iconic star admits praying and meditating on a beach in Miami as she didn't want to treat the condition with medicine but instead "an intuitive, heart-led holistic approach".
"It was a shock, it was unexpected," she told Women's Weekly, adding: "It was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me." Elle continued: "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 claimed that having chemotherapy treatment and surgery were too "extreme" for her, saying: "People thought I was crazy," but her own plan "resonated" with her. During her battle against the disease, Elle headed to Phoenix, Arizona, for eight months where she "holistically treated" the condition while following guidance from her own doctor, naturopathy, holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists.
While Elle had her mind set on how she would fight the condition, she admits her sons Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21, had mixed reactions. Her youngest son Cy was fully behind his famous mother, believing chemotherapy was "a kiss of death". Meanwhile, Flynn "wasn't comfortable" with her decision. "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 says.
Their father, Ardpad 'Arki' Busson also didn't agree with Elle's decision but openly told her that he was "proud" of the "courage" she was displaying. Cancer Research UK states that while surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are often used to treat cancer, some patients also choose to use complementary therapies to ease the side effects of treatment.
These include acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, massage therapy, yoga and visualisation. Elle's diagnosis came four years after she had previously had a cancer scare. In 2013, on her 49th birthday, she discovered a lump in her breast, which was later confirmed to be benign.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday at the time, Elle said: "I was away shooting Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model, so I couldn't see my doctor and I was really panicking. It was four weeks before I got the biopsy results, so it was a long drawn out and stressful period of not knowing. I was lucky – it was a fibroadenoma [a benign growth of fibrous tissue], but it was a really big warning. I did some soul searching and realised that maybe I was taking the wrong vitamins and minerals, not eating properly and was too stressed."
Nowadays, Elle credits her health and wellness habits for keeping her in shape. Her strict regime includes yoga in the sun, a four-minute workout, breathwork and sound healing, supplements and a cup of tea in the afternoon to keep her energy levels on top form.
Elle who was enrolled to study law at the University of Sydney travelled to America to spend one year in the modelling industry in order to pay for the books she required for her degree. But while in New York, she was rapidly snapped up by Click Model Management, with her career starting in 1982.
She bagged her first gig on an advert for Tab, a branch of the Diet co*ke brand, instantly landing her as the "girl next door" in her home country, Australia. Shortly after her first appearance, she was snapped up by strings of magazines including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, GQ and Tatler.
But while she was an international cover star, Elle's fame hit new levels when she became the cover girl for Sports Illustrated's famous Swimsuit edition. While many only dream of landing the cover, she appeared on it five times, breaking a record in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994 and 2006.
Away from the cameras and photography studios, Elle has walked for some of the biggest names in fashion such as Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Christian Dior, Michael Kors, Valentino and Thierry Mugler. However, in 1994 Elle appeared nude in the movie Sirens – sparking a mass interest in her and whether there were any more nude snaps floating around.
Following the mass hysteria, she chose to pose nude for the 1994 issue of Playboy to share her nude snaps "on her own terms". While Elle has a successful career, she also became an international icon. In 1999, she became the first model to appear on postage stamps in Antigua and Barbuda.
During her reign as one of the original supermodels alongside Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patiz, she became known as Elle 'The Body' Macpherson.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.
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