Belle Gibson

Belle Gibson is an Australian author and health and wellness blogger. She gained fame and recognition through her claims of having survived multiple cancers through natural remedies and nutrition. However, her claims were later debunked, leading to significant controversy and legal action.

Early Life

Gibson was born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1991. She moved to Brisbane, Queensland with her family at a young age. Little is known about her early life, as she has kept it private.

Career

Gibson launched her wellness blog, The Whole Pantry, in 2013. The blog focused on healthy eating and lifestyle choices, and quickly gained a large following. In 2014, she released a smartphone app of the same name, which was later included in the Apple Watch promotional campaign.

Gibson claimed that she had been diagnosed with multiple cancers since 2009, and that she had rejected conventional cancer treatments in favor of natural remedies and nutrition. Her story was widely shared and she became a prominent figure in the wellness industry.

Controversy

In 2015, it was revealed that Gibson's claims about her health were false. She admitted in an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly that she had never been diagnosed with cancer. This led to widespread backlash and her app and book were withdrawn from sale.

Gibson was subsequently investigated by Consumer Affairs Victoria and was found to have breached Australian Consumer Law. In 2017, she was fined $410,000 by the Federal Court of Australia for misleading conduct.

Impact

The controversy surrounding Gibson has led to increased scrutiny of the wellness industry and the claims made by wellness influencers. It has also highlighted the importance of fact-checking and the potential dangers of misinformation in health and wellness.

See Also

• Health fraud
• Misinformation
• Consumer protection