Cancer charity defends Elle MacPherson's anti-chemotherapy treatment stance (2024)

Elle Macpherson has revealed she was secretly diagnosed with cancer seven years ago and has explained why she refused chemotherapy, and a charity has since defended her stance.

The Australian supermodel, 60, explained in her newly released memoir that she decided not to treat her breast cancer with the usual medical methods.

After receiving a lumpectomy seven years ago on Friday 13th, the WelleCo founder was diagnosed with HER2 positive oestrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma.

‘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,’ Elle said of the diagnosis to Women’s Weekly.

Her doctor recommended Elle undergo a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and the reconstruction of her breast in order to get rid of the cancer. She went on to seek advice from 32 doctors and experts.

Elle – known for her holistic approach to health and wellbeing – explained how making the decision 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’.

After meditating on a beach in Miami Ellie concluded that she could attempt to treat her cancer with an ‘intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach’ under the guidance of her primary doctor who specialises in integrative medicine – which often combines mind and body therapies with conventional medical care.

The supermodel said she was now in ‘clinical remission’ – but it is thought that could largely be due to the initial lumpectomy, rather than her holistic treatment methods.

As such, Elle’s explanation of her ‘heart-led’ approach to cancer treatment has sparked some backlash, with critics saying it’s ‘irresponsible’ for her to credit ‘holistic’ treatments as having cured her cancer.

In fact Elle said she did undergo a lumpectomy – which is a type of surgery that involves removing a breast lump – in 2017 as she was diagnosed, which is a standard medical treatment for the condition, according to cancer surgeon Professor Chris Pyke, as perThe Guardian.

He added that her diagnosis is more like a type of non-invasive pre-cancer that has the potential to become aggressive if left untreated.

‘Intraductal means precancerous, so the cancer cells have formed but they are still housed inside the ducts in the breast,’ Pyke told the publication.

‘Left to its own devices, a certain proportion of these cases will turn into invasive cancer during the next year. But the number is not high – about 5%. It’s quite possible that just removing that lump all by itself could have been sufficient treatment.’

Meanwhile, many have taken to social media to criticise Elle’s explanation, as Maia Dunphy wrote: ‘She was lucky that clearly the lumpectomy removed all the cancerous cells and it hadn’t spread, but implying she “cured” cancer holistically is reckless beyond belief.’

Cancer researcher Dr David Robert Grimes took to X and said: ‘Incredibly irresponsible from Elle Macpherson: Holistic therapy is NOT valid treatment for breast cancer. So entitled that a multimillionaire with access to best healthcare advises women to ignore medical advice. Ample evidence this bulls**t kills people.’

Charity Breast Cancer Now wrote in a statement to Metro.co.uk: ‘Elle’s personal experience highlights the complexities around navigating and making treatment decisions that are right for the individual, and we encourage anyone with questions or concerns about their treatment options to speak to their specialist treatment team.

‘At Breast Cancer Now, we’re here for anyone affected by breast cancer and want people to know they can talk to us about anything that’s on their mind – we’re here to listen, and give people a confidential space to seek the support and information they need to make fully informed decisions that are right for them. To speak to our expert nurses call our free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000.’

Elle wrote in her book that saying no to pharmaceutical treatment was ‘the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life’ adding: ‘But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder.’

Admitting people thought she was ‘crazy’, Elle said she had to stick by a choice that fully resonated with her.

While Elle is now in ‘clinical remission’ her sons – Flynn, 19, and Cy, 14 – had mixed emotions towards their mum’s decision not to choose the standard medical treatments.

She wrote: ‘Cy simply thought that chemo kills you. And so he never wanted me to do it because he thought that was a kiss of death.

‘Flynn, being more conventional, wasn’t comfortable with my choice at all. 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.’

Her former partner and father of her children, French hedge fund manager Arki Busson, was ‘really supportive’ and wrote her a letter saying how proud he was of her courage, even though he didn’t agree with her actions, dubbing them ‘extreme’.

Elle – who appeared in Friends as Janine in 1999 – discussed holistic practices with Olivia-Newton John as the late actress also used a combination of treatments for her breast cancer, which the Grease star later died of.

After Arki and Elle separated in 2005 she married hotel heir Jeffrey Soffer in 2013 and they divorced four years later.

Since then she has also beenlinked with former doctor Andrew Wakefield, who was banned from practising medicine in the UK in 2010 and subsequently moved to America.

Wakefield is an anti-vaccine activist who presented the now-discredited research claiming the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine led to autism.

Metro.co.uk has contacted Elle Macpherson’s representatives for comment.

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