Elle Macpherson, the iconic Australian supermodel and actress, has opened up about a deeply personal battle in her newly released memoir, Elle. In a heartfelt revelation, the 60-year-old shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, a moment that completely transformed her life.
In an interview with Women’s Weekly, Macpherson recounted the day she received her diagnosis. “It was a shock, it was unexpected, 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,” she said.
Doctors diagnosed her with HER2-positive oestrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma and recommended aggressive treatment, including a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, Macpherson chose a different path, one that aligned with her holistic philosophy on health and wellness. Turning down the advice of 32 doctors, she embarked on what she called an “intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach” to healing.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she admitted in her memoir. “But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder.”
Macpherson’s decision was met with mixed reactions, especially from her two sons, Flynn, 19, and Cy, 14. “Cy simply thought that chemo kills you, and so he never wanted me to do it,” she shared, explaining her younger son’s fear. Flynn, more aligned with conventional treatments, struggled with her choice but ultimately supported her. “He is my son, though, and would support me through anything and love me through my choices, even if he didn’t agree with them,” she wrote.
Her journey was also supported by her former partner, Arki Busson, who expressed pride in her courage, even calling her decision “extreme.” Macpherson also found solace in her friendship with the late Olivia Newton-John, who had her own battle with breast cancer and similarly explored holistic treatments.
Now in clinical remission, Elle Macpherson continues to live by her holistic values, staying true to herself and drawing strength from her family and wellness practices.