ELLE Macpherson has doubled down on her controversial cancer treatment following her cancer diagnosis seven years ago.
Appearing on the “Today” show in Australia on Monday, the supermodel got into a heated exchange with co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Amelia Adams after she revealed she had refused chemotherapy from 32 doctors.
McPherson, 60, revealed last week that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago and is now finally in remission.
In her upcoming memoir, “Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself,” she said her decision to take a holistic approach to her diagnosis was met with criticism from her loved ones.
But on Monday's show, McPherson said the media focus on her treatment was deflecting attention from other key points made in the book.
“This book is not about cancer. And the focus on it is really perverse,” the Australian catwalk star said. “It's distorting the rest of the gems in the book.”
“I know, but you find yourself in the middle of a debate that I think a lot of women are having, not only with the community, but with the traditional medical profession,” Stefanovic said, adding that it’s a “good thing” that she has “sparked the debate.”
Following a lumpectomy seven years ago, the Welleco founder was diagnosed with HER2-positive estrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma — a type of breast cancer characterized by high levels of a protein that can help breast cells multiply rapidly.
Macpherson said her decision to forgo chemotherapy was not one taken lightly.
“Let's be clear, I sought a lot of medical advice,” she said. “It was very interesting, because every doctor had different opinions about how to treat my specific case of breast cancer.”
“There was no clear path and no guarantees of any kind,” he added. “So, I made a decision based on whatever information I gathered and what felt right for me.”
Then the conversation took a wrong turn when Adams asked about McPherson’s sobriety, which she recounted in her memoir.
In the book, the model revealed that she used to drink vodka every night after putting her children to sleep.
“At what point did you realize that (alcohol addiction) was a problem for you?” Adams asked, before asking how much alcohol the supermodel drank each night.
“Everyone wants to know the juicy details! What's wrong with you guys?” McPherson responded.
In an attempt to defuse the tension, Stefanovic said he was only asking because “we drink.”
