‘Someone is going to die’: Kerri-Anne Kennerley’s warning on Elle Macpherson’s breast cancer message
TV legend and breast cancer survivor Kerri-Anne Kennerley says 60 Minutes failed in due diligence after airing Elle Macpherson’s claims she rejected conventional medical treatment for her breast cancer.
TV legend Kerri-Anne Kennerley says “someone is going to die” following supermodel Elle Macpherson’s claims on 60 Minutes to have rejected conventional medical treatment for her breast cancer, arguing that the program failed in due diligence.
In her new book Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, Macpherson detailed her choice to forgo a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy and breast reconstruction in favour of “an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach”.
On Sunday on Nine’s 60 Minutes program, she doubled down saying she saw no possibility of her breast cancer recurring given “the body has the infinite capacity to heal” and it was “fear” that made people ill.
Kennerley said even if Macpherson was not advocating for others to forgo standard treatment, it would influence people regardless. “Think of the poor oncologists, surgeons and doctors today … inundated with phone calls from people (saying) ‘I’m rethinking my treatment because Elle Macpherson said this and that’,” she told The Australian.
“I understand Elle … did what she thought was good for her personally, but the very fact she has resisted any other medical treatment … absolutely terrifies me.
“Without question, it will result in the future that somebody will take that line and feel confident enough to try and do it themselves naturally, and someone is going to die.”
Kennerley was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and has since advocated for access to screening and a reform of rebates for breast scans. “(During my treatment) I was listening,” she said. “Listening to doctors, then surgeons, then oncologists. That’s how I based my opinion.”
“My advocacy is not on treatment, it’s early detection.”
The former Channel 10 and Nine Network presenter said Nine provided a platform for dangerous messaging without allowing a medical professional to sufficiently clarify what was said.
“(60 Minutes reporter) Tracy (Grimshaw) did a piece to camera about it. But to be seriously responsible, you have to have an oncologist who could actually balance Elle’s remarks,” Kennerley said. “I believe 60 Minutes was irresponsible by not having an oncologist who would give an alternative point of view. Elle’s given her natural point of view, and she’s followed through with it. They should have absolutely gotten an oncologist that said ‘as an oncologist, I’ve seen this type of cancer and many other types of cancers in my 30-year career. People who have not followed the advice have died.’ ”
The program did feature medical advice counter to Macpherson’s view, but not attributed to an identified oncologist.
Kennerley said she was “pleased” Macpherson “is in a good space … and that she made her own decisions about her treatment … I wish she didn’t do it. I know she feels it was right, but I wish she hadn’t done it,” she said.
Nine Entertainment declined a request for comment.
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