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Super Model Elle Macpherson “Pleased” That Uncommon Cancer Treatment “Sparked Conversation”

Elle MacPherson cancer treatment

When Elle Macpherson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, she opted to treat the disease holistically rather than with traditional medicine. The 60-year-old supermodel revealed her decision in an interview with Australian Women’s Weekly and said her diagnosis came as a shock. She had a lumpectomy and was told she had HER2-positive estrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma.

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Doctors reportedly urged her to undergo treatment including a mastectomy and chemotherapy, but she refused. The revelation was met with much criticism, but she appeared on Australia’s Today show to defend her choice.

Elle MacPherson Is Happy With Her Decision To Try Alternative Cancer Treatments

Elle told Today she didn’t come to her decision lightly.

“Just to be clear, I sought a lot of medical advice,” she said. “It was very interesting because every doctor has a different opinion on how to treat my specific case of breast cancer.”

But in the end, holistic medicine felt like the right choice for her.

“There was no clear path and there [were] no guarantees either way,” she added. “So, I just made a decision based on all the information that I gathered and what felt right for me.”

She is pleased with her progress and has no regrets. Elle was quick to add that she is not a medical professional, and her cancer treatment path was for her, not anyone else.

“It’s important to mention that I’m not giving advice to other people. I’m sharing my experience,” she said.

According to People, in her upcoming memoir, Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, she admits not everyone was comfortable with her treatment plan. But in the end, it made the most sense to her.

“People thought I was crazy. But I knew I had to make a choice that truly resonated with me,” she wrote. “To me, that meant addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer … and that took courage.” 

This story’s featured image is by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

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