Elle Macpherson refused chemotherapy for cancer after facing her fears during sobriety battle

Throughout her life, Elle Macpherson has come face to face with a number of fears and challenges. From being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 to maintaining her sobriety for over two decades, the supermodel and mom of two has proven resilient within her own journey.  

"I’ve found the most powerful and fulfilling path is to surrender to the natural flow of life, always holding focus on my intentions to be happy, prosperous and fulfilled, no matter what material form life takes," Macpherson, who has been dubbed "The Body" for much of her career, wrote on Instagram on Sunday. 

In her upcoming memoir titled "Elle," Macpherson details many of her personal battles: one including her breast cancer diagnosis seven years ago. 

ELLE MACPHERSON DISREGARDED DOCTORS ADVICE AFTER BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS: 'PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY'

Elle Macpherson recently revealed her cancer diagnosis. (Getty Images)

"It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways," Macpherson told Women's Weekly. "And it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me… I realized I was going to need my own truth, my belief system to support me through it. And that’s what I did."

Despite her doctor's suggestions, Macpherson opted for "an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach," which was the decision that ultimately led to Macpherson's self-trust.

"It was a wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action that I had chosen," she said.

"I stopped drinking in 2003 because I felt I couldn’t be fully present in my life, and it was a wonderful springboard of getting to know myself on a deeper level."

— Elle Macpherson

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Macpherson – who shares sons Arpad "Flynn" Alexander Busson and Aurelius "Cy" Andrea Busson with ex-partner André "Arki" Arpad Busson – relied on integrative medicine, alternative therapies and changes to her lifestyle. She also saw an osteopath, a chiropractor, a holistic dentist and two therapists.

The supermodel has been sober for 21 years.  (Getty Images)

"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," she wrote in her book, per an excerpt from Women's Weekly. "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," she added. "To me, that meant addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer. It was time for deep, inner reflection. And that took courage."

This wasn't the only battle Macpherson was facing. 

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For 21 years, the supermodel has been working on confronting one of her biggest fears: "the fear of being my true self" through sobriety, she told Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchi.

Macpherson said one of her biggest fears was getting to know her "true self." (Getty Images)

"It's been amazing getting sober and staying sober. It has been the foundation of all of my life, really, because without being sober, I wouldn't be here."

In an interview with the Australian magazine Body + Soul in 2023, Macpherson shared her reasoning for wanting to eliminate alcohol from her life. 

ELLE MACPHERSON 'NEVER REGRETTED' GETTING SOBER 20 YEARS AGO

"I stopped drinking in 2003 because I felt I couldn’t be fully present in my life, and it was a wonderful springboard of getting to know myself on a deeper level," she said. "Everybody has their own journey and I’m not interested in telling other people what to do but I know that this was a decision that I’ve never regretted."

"Although it required discipline and persistence, the bottom line is you can’t be well and present in your life if you’re not present and well, and alcohol doesn’t really support that," she added.  "It’s very difficult to get to know yourself if you’re numbing yourself."

Macpherson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and has kept her fight private from the public. (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Last year, Macpherson shared her major accomplishment with her nearly 800,000 fans on Instagram. 

"'This a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before,' Maya Angelou," Macpherson wrote in the caption, alongside a photo of an AA chip celebrating 20 years of recovery. "'The meaning of happiness consists in three elements — freedom, gratitude, and the sense of wonder. Life is not a problem to be solved, but an experience to be had.' Alan Watts."

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For the majority of her career, Macpherson has used this mindset to challenge the beauty standards upheld by society. 

"I used to equate beauty with youth and as I’ve matured and as my experience has evolved, I’ve understood that beauty is more closely aligned to wellness," Macpherson, who launched wellness company WelleCo in 2024, told Body + Soul. 

"The second part of that concept is that wellness is physical, emotional, spiritual and mental well-being and that they’re all integrated," she added. "That was the biggest revelation — that you can’t compartmentalize them and they’re not separate," Macpherson continued. "If anything is out of kilter it affects the others, so the secret to a happy, healthy life is really keeping in balance with all those aspects. It took me a long time to get that."

ELLE MACPHERSON HITS TWO MAJOR MILESTONES: ‘BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS’

With the release of her new book, Macpherson, who is currently in remission, is focusing on putting most of her energy into helping others. 

The supermodel hopes to encourage others by sharing her own life stories. (Rose Hartman)

"It’s not about giving advice to others," she told Women's Weekly. "I’m simply sharing what I discovered through my own real experiences. I want to help and encourage others to follow their heart and give things a go … follow their heart in whatever they’re choosing to do, not just when in crisis but for decisions,
big or small."

She continued, "Learn to slow down and get very quiet and very still and feel what truly resonates with you without the outer distractions of everybody else’s opinions. It’s about using your heart as a compass in life."

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Fox News Digital's Caroline Thayer contributed to this report.