"Someone is going to die": Kerri-Anne slams "irresponsible" Elle Macpherson interview
Kerri-Anne Kennerley has slammed Elle Macpherson for announcing that she allegedly "cured" her breast cancer after shunning the advice of doctors and opting for "holistic" treatment paths instead, while also taking aim at 60 Minutes for airing an interview with the supermodel where she doubled down on her beliefs.
In her new memoir, Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, Macpherson revealed that at the age of 53, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to go against doctors orders for her treatment.
The 60-year-old recalled how her doctors recommended a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, plus reconstruction of her breast to fight the illness, and how she instead decide to forge her own path of "holistic wellness" to beat the disease without the use on conventional medicines, which she claims "cured" her cancer.
“It really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me," she told Australian's Women's Weekly. “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.”
Macpherson then doubled down on her decision in an exclusive interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday, in which she claimed that there is “no possibility” of her breast cancer recurring given “the body has the infinite capacity to heal”, and making the bizarre remark that it’s “fear” that actually makes people ill.
Kerri-Anne Kennerley, who is also a survivor of breast cancer, was one of many who found problems with the interview, as she said it was dangerous for the news program to broadcast such information.
“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, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, said the 60 Minutes report should've been more "balanced" by having expert testimony from doctors as a counterargument to Elle's claims.
“(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.'”
Image credits: 60 Minutes / Instagram