Pete Evans has revealed his bizarre shrine to Elle Macpherson in his home following the model’s controversial claim that she treated her cancer diagnosis ‘holistically.’
Elle recently prompted a wave of backlash after she claimed she successfully beat breast cancer by rejecting conventional medicine and adopting an alternative ‘holistic’ approach in her memoir Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself.
The disgraced celebrity chef and his wife Nicola Watson shared a photo to Instagram on Wednesday of Elle’s new book on a table in their home.
The memoir was placed in the centre, while a bunch of bright red roses and incense surrounded it.
They also posted a close up image of the book which featured an image of Elle on the cover.
‘This book encapsulates all of my life learnings. I share my story so you can see that all things are possible if you embrace, believe, love and trust yourself,’ the caption read.
Pete runs Evolve Sanctuary with his wife Nicola after stepping back from public life after sharing his controversial views about Covid-19 and wild conspiracy theories.
He has assumed a low-profile since he was dropped by 15 sponsors and companies in the space of 48 hours in November 2020, after posting a neo-Nazi meme on social media.
Pete Evans has revealed his bizarre shrine to Elle Macpherson after the model’s controversial claim that she treated her cancer diagnosis ‘holistically’
He has faced a string of controversies over the past few years for his controversial views about Covid-19 and bizarre conspiracy theories.
The once-popular TV star attracted scrutiny for peddling anti-vaccine conspiracies and was fined $25,000 for spruiking a light machine he claimed helped cure Covid.
Meanwhile, Elle recently prompted a wave of backlash from the public and health professionals after she revealed the unconventional treatment path she chose to battle cancer.
In her new memoir, titled Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, she detailed her secret battle with breast cancer seven years ago for the very first time.
She detailed how she had a lumpectomy – a surgery to remove cancer from the breast while leaving most of the tissue in place – before doctors advised her to have a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
However, Elle decided to go against traditional medicine, saying 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’.
The disgraced celebrity chef and his wife Nicola shared a photo to Instagram on Wednesday of Elle’s new book on a table in their home
The memoir was placed in the centre, while a bunch of bright red roses and incense surrounded it
Speaking to Women’s Weekly about her diagnosis, she shared: ‘It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me.’
Elle – who was married to Jefferey Soffer at the time before divorcing four months later – said she meditated on a beach in Miami and concluded she didn’t want to treat her cancer with pharmaceuticals, but rather ‘an intuitive, heart-led, 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,’ she explained, later adding she thought chemotherapy and surgery were too ‘extreme’.
The fashion icon said ‘people thought I was crazy’ but she forged ahead with a treatment plan that ‘resonated’ with her, ‘addressing emotional as well as physical factors associated with breast cancer’.
Elle revealed she rented a house in Arizona for eight months where she ‘holistically treated’ her cancer under the guidance of her primary doctor, a doctor of naturopathy, holistic dentist, osteopath, chiropractor and two therapists.
While staying in the house alone, Elle said she spent her days ‘focusing and devoting every single minute to healing myself’.
Elle recently prompted a wave of backlash from the public and health professionals after she revealed the unconventional treatment path she chose to battle cancer
Elle is now in ‘clinical remission’, which she chooses to call ‘utter wellness’, but said her sons Flynn, 26, and Cy, 21, had mixed reactions about her unusual approach to the cancer diagnosis.
Her youngest son fully supported his famous mother because he believed chemotherapy was ‘a kiss of death’, but her eldest had his reservations.
Elle added that her ex Arki Busson, who she split from in 2005 after welcoming their two sons, ‘didn’t agree’ with her methods but wrote a letter telling her how ‘proud’ he was of ‘the courage I was showing’.
Her comments have proved to be divisive, with one doctor slamming Elle for promoting ‘holistic’ treatment while many celebrities have also weighed in on the debate, including MAFS expert Mel Schilling, who is battling colon cancer.
Dr Liz O’Riordan, former Consultant Oncoplastic Surgeon at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, discussed the dangers of alternative cancer therapies on ITV’s Lorraine, saying Elle likely didn’t understand the ‘ripple effect’ of her remarks.
She said: ‘I think it’s really hard to get my head around, we know that there is no evidence that alternative holistic treatments can cure cancer and it’s really hard when someone with her profile decides to do this.
‘My worry is that people will see her choice and not take treatments like chemotherapy and the problem is when women don’t choose mainstream treatment and just have alternative treatments they are six times more likely to die.’
Typical cancer treatment revolves around surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
She claimed she successfully beat breast cancer by rejecting conventional medicine and adopting an alternative ‘holistic’ approach in her memoir Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself
Cancer Research UK notes that some patients also use complementary therapies to feel better, ease the side effects of these treatments and improve quality of life.
Aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage therapy, visualisation and yoga are among the most common examples, it said.
Meanwhile, alternative therapies including shark cartilage supplements and Gerson therapy – which involves following an organic vegetarian diet and undergoing up to five coffee enemas a day – have been used instead of medical treatment.
There is no scientific or medical evidence that these therapies can cure cancer.
Some might even be unsafe, trigger harmful side effects or interact with medical treatment, according to Cancer Research UK.
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Readers in the UK can contact them by calling 0808 808 00 00
Readers in Australia can contact Cancer Council by calling 13 11 20
American Cancer Society can be contacted by calling 1-800-227-2345