Elle Pacpherson’s eldest son was against her turning to holistic therapies amid her secret breast cancer battle.
Elle Pacpherson’s eldest son was against her turning to holistic therapies amid her secret breast cancer battle
The 60-year-old model and mother-of-two has used her new memoir ‘Elle’ to reveal she was diagnosed with the disease seven years ago – but chose not to undergo chemotherapy.
After undergoing a lumpectomy, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive, oestrogen receptor intraductal carcinoma – but went against the advice of 32 doctors and turned to alternative remedies before she was told she was in “clinical remission”.
Elle has sons Flynn, 26, and 21-year-old Cy with her financier ex Arpad Busson, 61, and said they had very different attitudes to her decision to turn away from traditional modern medicine as she fought the disease.
She said her youngest son fully supported her as he believed chemotherapy was a “kiss of death” – but admitted her eldest had reservations about her decision.
Elle said in her book: “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.”
Elle also said Arpad, from whom she split in 2005 after almost ten years with him, “didn’t agree” with her approach to her treatment.
But she said he wrote a letter telling her how “proud” he was of “the courage I was showing”.
She added in her book about 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.”
Elle revealed her medics initially recommended she get a mastectomy, followed by radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and breast reconstruction.
But the model – who is fanatical about holistic health and well-being – instead had a meditation session on a Miami beach and decided to pursue an “intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach” under the guidance of a medic who specialises in integrative medicine.
It’s a practice that mixes modern medicine with mind and body therapies.
Elle said the decision was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life” but thought ignoring her gut instinct was wrong – despite admitting people thought she was “crazy”.
Along with her primary doctor, Elle also recruited a naturopath, a holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists.
She also relocated to Arizona where she rented a house and dedicated eight months to “focusing” and “devoting every single minute” to her healing.