Former television host Ananda Lewis has died, her sister Lakshmi Emory shared in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Lewis was 52.
Lewis, who was known for her role as an MTV VJ and host of Teen Summit, was battling Stage 4 breast cancer.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Emory wrote on Facebook. “Lord, rest her soul.”
Lewis first revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2020, via an Instagram video that included her hope to encourage other women to get a mammogram. Lewis was battling Stage 3 cancer at the time.
“I have been fighting to get cancer out of my body for almost two years,” she said at the time. “For a really long time, I have refused mammograms, and that was a mistake.”
Lewis admitted that she refused regular mammograms because of her fear of being exposed to radiation.
People with an average risk of breast cancer are recommended to start mammogram screening starting at age 40 and even younger for those with higher than average risk. Mammograms are considered safe. They emit a very small amount of radiation, but less than a standard X-ray.
“I need you to get your mammograms,” she implored, sharing that she had to adjust her diet and lifestyle. “I still have a lot of work to do. … I wish I could go back. I have a 9-year-old I need to be here for.”
In October 2024, a year after her cancer had progressed to Stage 4, Lewis spoke with ABC News’ Kelley L. Carter to talk about her diagnosis and the treatment decisions she had to make, which included a refusal to undergo a medically recommended double mastectomy followed by rounds of chemotherapy.
“I couldn’t handle doing such a drastic surgery in my life at that time,” she said. “I was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling my son. Cancer doesn’t come and replace all the other stuff you have to do. Cancer happens on top of your life, and for me, it was just too overwhelming in the beginning.”
Lewis said at the time that she had opted for homeopathic treatment, including a change in her diet and fractionated chemotherapy, which is not recommended by doctors as effective.
Since she revealed her cancer diagnosis, Lewis faced criticism from others for her decision to not have surgery years earlier.
“None of those people know me and they don’t know the details of my situation,” she said. “I’m not gonna sit here and battle people about their opinions. That has no bearing on my life. It’s a waste of my time. And I don’t have time to waste.”
“Life owes me nothing,” she added. “Every day I get, I’m grateful for. What I do is focus on what I can fix. And what I can control.”
Lewis, who was born March 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, began her career on BET when she landed a role as host of Teen Summit in 1993, a talk show program that focused on issues faced by Black teens. It also included live performances.
In 2001, she had her own talk show called The Ananda Lewis Show.
The role that many know Lewis for was as an MTV VJ. She hosted a variety of shows including Total Request Live and Hot Zone.
She was a correspondent on The Insider from 2004 to 2017.
In her 2024 interview with Carter, when asked how she wanted people to remember her, Lewis said, “That I loved hard and lived loud and didn’t back away from problems and loved this life. And was O.K. with letting it go too.”
“It’s a temporary situation, so do your best,” she added. “That’s all we’re all doing is our best.”
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