Elle Macpherson Opens Up About ‘Unexpected’ Breast Cancer Battle

Elle Macpherson has revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to take “an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach.” The 60-year-old model shared that she decided against “standard medical solutions.”

In an interview with Women’s Weekly, the 1988 Sports Illustrated cover star said her diagnosis came as “a shock; it was unexpected.” She continued, “It really gave me an opportunity to dig deep into my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me… I realized I would need my own truth, my belief system, to support me through it. And that’s what I did. It was a wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself, and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action I had chosen.”

In her memoir Elle, she admitted that choosing not to pursue conventional treatments was challenging, and “saying no” to her “inner sense” was even harder. Her family was divided about her decision. In her book, she wrote about how her son Cy, 21, opposed chemotherapy because he believed that “chemo kills you,” while her other son, Flynn, 36, was not supportive of her choice. As for her former partner, Arki Busson, he was not in favor but remained “really supportive.”

Although her children had their concerns, Macpherson acknowledged that they still stood by her throughout the process, despite feeling “very scared.” Reflecting on her decision in her memoir, she added, “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. For me, that meant addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer. It was a time for deep, inner reflection. And that took courage.”

Her diagnosis came seven years ago, and since then, she has devoted every moment to healing while being cared for by medical professionals. She recently shared to Women’s Weekly that she is now in “clinical remission.”