Rita Panahi: Elle Macpherson is entitled to opt for whatever treatment she sees fit

Elle Macpherson is copping all sorts of criticism for the sin of rejecting conventional medicine but the former supermodel is entitled to share her story.

Former supermodel Elle Macpherson is copping all sorts of criticism for the sin of rejecting conventional medicine and opting for a “holistic approach” to treat her breast cancer, which she has revealed is in remission. Speaking to Australian Women’s Weekly ahead of the release of her book, Elle, the woman who was for decades known as The Body made the bombshell admission about her secret cancer battle and her unorthodox treatment plan.

She revealed that when she was diagnosed with breast cancer after a lumpectomy some seven years ago she spoke to 32 medical experts, prayed and meditated before rejecting an aggressive treatment plan including a mastectomy as well as other surgical procedures, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, instead choosing a “non-pharmaceutical” approach. Macpherson is at pains to explain that her choices are not for everyone but after careful consideration and much research she took an unorthodox path that successfully treated her cancer.

Elle Macpherson has copped criticism for rejecting conventional medicine to treat her breast cancer.

“I came to the understanding that there was no sure thing and absolutely no guarantees. There was no ‘right’ way, just the right way for me,” Macpherson writes.

“I chose a holistic approach. 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.

“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. To me, that meant addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer. It was time for deep, inner reflection.”

Now, granted her language is a little airy-fairy as is to be expected from a woman who starts her day not with coffee but with filtered water with lemon and a touch of cayenne pepper followed by a hemp seed smoothie. That said I have nothing but praise for her honesty in revealing her cancer battle and what worked for her. She would’ve known full well that she’d be hit with a barrage of criticism for rejecting traditional forms of western medicine and that’s precisely what’s happened over the past 48 hours.

A long line of medics from general practitioners to cancer specialists have been eager to pour scorn on the 60-year-old’s choices with many accusing her of being ignorant and reckless. GP Sam Hay said: “My big issue is that celebrities can have a very big voice and I really urge people out there to listen to the medical team around them and follow that advice.” Professor of health law Timothy Caulfield tweeted: “This kind of BS from celeb “wellness” influencers does huge harm.”

Elle made the bombshell admission about her secret cancer battle and her unorthodox treatment plan in her new book.

Cancer researcher David Robert Grimes tweeted: “Incredibly irresponsible from Elle Macpherson: Holistic therapy is NOT valid treatment for breast cancer. So entitled that a multi-millionaire with access to best healthcare advises women to ignore medical advice. Ample evidence this bullshit kills people.” He also made other damning comments that are possibly defamatory and don’t warrant repeating here.

The expert class’ disdain for Macpherson’s methods is predictable but isn’t she entitled to share her story? Now five years ago I would’ve joined the pile-on and slammed Macpherson for being irresponsible with her own health and for leading others astray.

But that was before the madness of the Covid-19 years where we saw medical experts from government bureaucrats to taxpayer funded TV doctors to dial-a-quote epidemiologists engage in the most unscientific, evidence-free scaremongering and hysteria we have seen in modern history.

She revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. (Photo by Streetstyleshooters/Getty Images)

From recommending masks outdoors to school closures to pushing for vaccine mandates even for healthy children at minimal risk of Covid-19. We had tried and tested medicines suddenly dismissed as horse dewormers. We were falsely told there was consensus among the medical community that draconian Covid-19 restrictions including lockdowns and stay-at-home orders were necessary. We saw leading experts go from saying masks were useless to saying they were necessary, even mandatory, all without a modicum of reliable data.

It’s little wonder that research shows trust in the medical fraternity has plummeted. A 50-state survey of U.S. adults led by Northeastern University reveals that trust in physicians and hospitals has fallen dramatically from 71.5 per cent in 2020 to 40.1 per cent in January 2024.

The expert class have only themselves to blame. This fall from grace was entirely self-inflicted; while some came out and challenged the Covid-era madness, too many were cowed into silence. They allowed the health bureaucracy to run riot and are now damaged by the fallout.

So, excuse me if I don’t condemn Macpherson for sharing her story. Her vegan, holistic, hippie approach may be wildly at odds with mine, but she is entitled to opt for whatever treatment she sees fit and share her experience in her own memoir.

Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist