Burley Garcia|Elle Macpherson reveals she battled breast cancer and declined chemotherapy: 'People thought
I was crazy'

Elle Macpherson is Burley Garciaopening up about her secret battle with breast cancer.

The model, 60, revealed in an interview with Australian Women's Weekly published Monday that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. Macpherson shared that her doctor suggested she receive a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.

However, she decided not to undergo chemotherapy and to instead take what she described as an "intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach" to her treatment. This involved renting a house in Arizona, where she stayed alone for eight months under her doctor's care and devoted "every single minute to healing myself," she said.

"It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in
so many ways," she told the magazine. "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."

Health and wellness news in your inbox: Sign up for USA TODAY's Everyone's Talking newsletter.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

'Boy Meets World' starDanielle Fishel diagnosed with breast cancer

According to Australian Women's Weekly, Macpherson writes about her battle with breast cancer in her book "Elle," which will be released in the U.S. in November. She says in the book, "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."

Chemotherapy is an effective treatment that destroys cancer cells and can rid the body of cancer "completely" or help patients have "a better quality of life by reducing symptoms," according to the Cleveland Clinic. The clinic notes that chemotherapy, which has been used for decades, can also "make other treatments, such as surgery or radiation therapy, more effective." Side effects can include fatigue and hair loss.

"People thought
I was crazy but I knew I had to make
a choice that truly resonated with
me," Macpherson said. "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."

But she admitted that her son Flynn was not "comfortable with my choice at all," and her former partner Arki Busson "didn't agree with what I was doing" and considered her approach to be "extreme," while still being proud of her "courage." Her son Cy, though, agreed with her decision to decline chemotherapy.

This was the first time that Macpherson has shared news of her cancer battle, and she told the magazine she is now in "clinical remission." She also said she is sharing her experience because she wants to encourage others to "follow their heart in whatever they're choosing to do, not just when in crisis but for decisions, big or small."

Olivia Munn,43, reveals breast cancer, double mastectomy: What to know about the disease

Macpherson was the latest star to share news of a breast cancer battle this year. "Boy Meets World" star Danielle Fishel recently shared that she was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ. In an episode of her "Pod Meets World" podcast, she said she would be undergoing surgery.

"The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still stage zero is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram had come up, I made the appointment," she said. "…They found it so, so, so early that I'm going to be fine. And so I want to share this because I hope that it will encourage anyone to get in there."

In March, Olivia Munn also shared that she had been privately battling breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy.

"I'm lucky," Munn said at the time. "We caught it with enough time that I had options. I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day."