Supermodel Elle Macpherson reveals why she refused chemotherapy as she opens up about secret cancer diagnosis
Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson has opened up about being diagnosed with breast cancer and why she said 'no to standard medical solutions'.
The popular Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model released her memoir earlier today (September 3) and within the book, the 60-year-old opens up about both her career but also her personal life, including revealing she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago.
In a chapter of her book Elle, subtitled 'Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,' the supermodel reveals she found out she had HER2 positive oestrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma - a type of breast cancer that occurs when breast cells have too many copies of the HER2 gene, which means they produce too much of the growth-promoting protein called HER2, Mayo Clinic explains.
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Macpherson explains doctors recommended she undergo a mastectomy, alongside chemotherapy, hormone and radiation therapy as well as having her breast reconstructed.
As per the Mayo Clinic: "Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body."
However, Macpherson felt 'the chemo and surgery route was extreme' and after seeking advice from a reported 32 doctors and experts and deliberating for several weeks, resolved to go down a different path instead.
She told The Weekly while it was a 'shock, unexpected' and 'confusing' to be diagnosed with cancer, it 'really gave [her] an opportunity to dig deep in [her] inner sense to find a solution that worked for [her]'.
"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," Macpherson said.
Macpherson decided to take a more 'intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach' to her diagnosis, however, in her book she admits 'saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing [she's] ever done in her life'.
"But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder," she added.
So, she consulted a doctor who specialized in integrative medicine, which is more person-led, focusing on lifestyle changes alongside certain therapies and rented a house in Phoenix, Arizona, spending eight months consulting with a primary doctor, a doctor of naturopathy, holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists to 'heal' herself.
The supermodel explained: "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.
"[...] 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."
And Macpherson revealed she's 'in clinical remission' in 'traditional terms' but she would say she's 'in utter wellness' not just from her blood test and scan results but 'emotionally, spiritually and mentally' too.
Macpherson said she's decided to open up about her cancer journey now in her memoir not to give 'advice to others' but to 'simply share' what she 'discovered through' her 'own real experiences'.
She resolved: "I want to help and encourage others to follow their heart and give things a go [...] follow their heart in whatever they’re choosing to do, not just when in crisis but for decisions, big or small.
“Learn to slow down and get very quiet and very still and feel what truly resonates with you without the outer distractions of everybody else’s opinions. It’s about using your heart as a compass in life."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Topics: Australia, Cancer, Celebrity, Health, Mental Health
Poppy Bilderbeck