Supermodel Elle Macpherson reveals she refused chemotherapy as she battled cancer in secret

Elle Macpherson has revealed her secret struggle with cancer as she admitted she refused chemotherapy.

The Australian supermodel , 60, decided against chemotherapy, despite recommendations for the treatment from 32 doctors. Elle shared that she was diagnosed in 2017 and chose to rely on her body's natural healing and the "course of action" she had chosen.

In a heartfelt admission, Elle admitted she was left in shock by her diagnosis . She underwent a lumpectomy at the time, which is a surgical procedure to remove cancerous tissue from her breast.

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Elle was diagnosed with HER2-positive oestrogen-receptive intraductal carcinoma. Doctors had advised her to undergo a mastectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and a reconstruction of her breast.

At the time, she was in a relationship with anti-vaccine advocate Andrew Wakefield and she opted out of the conventional medical treatments. She expressed that she was staying "true" to herself by trusting her body's capabilities.

Elle said she sought solace through prayer and meditation on a Miami beach, choosing a heart-centered, holistic method over pharmaceutical interventions. "It was a shock, it was unexpected," she confided to Women's Weekly.

Elle added: "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 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 opened up about her decision to skip chemotherapy and surgery, admitting: "People thought I was crazy." However, she felt her alternative approach "resonated" with her.

Amid her cancer diagnosis, the model headed to Phoenix, Arizona, for eight months where she "holistically treated" the condition. She admitted her two sons - Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21 - had mixed reactions to her treatment choice.

Her youngest son Cy was fully behind her and described chemotherapy as a "kiss of death". However, Flynn "wasn't comfortable" with her decision.

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